IAF in a post said that the crash was caused due to a technical snag and condoled the loss of the pilot’s life. It also said that a probe has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.
An IAF pilot who was injured succumbed to his injuries after an IAF Jaguar on Wednesday crashed during a night mission. The pilots faced a technical malfunction while flying the two-seater aircraft airborne from Jamnagar and initiated ejection, avoiding harm to the airfield and the local population. Another pilot who was also injured is receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Jamnagar.
IAF in a post on Thursday morning informed about the death of the pilot and wrote, “IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.”
The police said that the fighter jet crashed at around 9:30 pm in an open field at Suvarda village, nearly 12 kilometres from Jamnagar city and caught fire. District SP Premsukh Delu said that there were no civilian casualties due to the crash.
“The aircraft caught fire after the crash landing. Police and firefighters have rushed to the spot and started searching for the missing pilot,” he said. The fire in the open field was later doused by firefighters.
Soon after the incident, district collector Ketan Thekar also rushed to the crash site.