IAF jet crashes in SBS Nagar, pilot ejects safely

In an official statement, the air force said the Mig-29 jet on a training mission took off from the Adampur airbase near Jalandhar

An Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft crashed at Chuhadpur village of Punjab’s Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar on Friday, while its pilot managed to eject himself safely.

ANI PHOTO

In an official statement, the air force said the Mig-29 jet on a training mission took off from the Adampur airbase near Jalandhar.

“The aircraft developed a technical snag. The pilot, a wing commander, had to eject after he was unable to control the jet,” the statement read.

IAF officials inspected the spot and a court of inquiry was ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.

SBS Nagar senior superintendent of police (SSP) Alka Meena said the pilot landed at Hoshiarpur district’s Sumundra village and was lifted by a helicopter. He was first aid by a medical team.

“We rushed to the spot along with medical teams after getting information about the crash around 10:45am. The jet crashed in fields. Fire tenders controlled the fire that broke out due to the crash in nearly two hours,” the SSP said.

An eyewitness to the incident he was working in his fields when he suddenly heard a blast-like sound. He informed the local administration.