IAF MiG-21 crashes in Rajasthan; Rescue op underway

The MiG-21 had taken off from Suratgarh according to Indian Air Force sources. Further information is awaited.

Jaipur: An Indian Air Force MiG-21 crashed in Rajasthan’s Hamumangarh district on Monday, defence sources said adding that the pilot is safe. According to sources, the pilot is safe and the army’s helicopter has reached the accident site for rescue.

The MiG-21 had taken off from Suratgarh according to IAF Sources.

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Further information is awaited. Earlier in January, one pilot lost his life after two Indian Air Force fighter jets – a Sukhoi Su-30 and a Mirage 2000 – crashed during a training exercise in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur.

While one aircraft crashed in Morena in Madhya Pradesh, the other crashed and landed in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur. Earlier last week an Indian Army chopper crashed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district. Another accident happened in Kochi in April when a Coast Guard helicopter during trials made a crash landing.

This March in Mumbai a Navy chopper had “ditched” after performing VVIP duties. In October last year, two incidents of army chopper crash were reported in Arunachal Pradesh. In October 5, 2022, a Cheetah helicopter crashed near the Tawang area of Arunachal Pradesh leading to the death of one Indian Army pilot.

Just a fortnight later, five defence personnel were killed, who were on board in the Indian Army Aviation Advance Light Helicopter (Weapon Systems Integrated) – ALH WSI based at Likabali (Assam), which crashed near Siang village, 25 kilometres away from the Tuting headquarters in the Upper Siang district of Arunachal on October 21.

Earlier on July 28 last year, Defence Ministry informed that two pilots in a twin-seater Mig-21 trainer aircraft died after sustaining fatal injuries when it crashed near Barmer district of Rajasthan.