An Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot was killed on Tuesday when the Jaguar fighter aircraft he was flying on a routine training mission crashed in a village in Gujarat’s Kutch district, an official said.
The air force said in a statement Air Commodore Sanjay Chauhan had taken off from the airbase in nearby Jamnagar district.
“Today (Tuesday) morning a Jaguar aircraft on a routine training mission from Jamnagar crashed around 10:30 am. The pilot AOC Sanjay Chauhan sustained fatal injuries during the crash,” defence spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Manish Ojha said.
Residents of Beraja village in Mundra taluka found the debris of the aircraft and informed local authorities, including the police and the district administration. Some cattle have also been reported to be killed as the plane came down in a barren landscape.
A court of inquiry has been ordered into the matter.
{{/usCountry}}A court of inquiry has been ordered into the matter.
{{/usCountry}}Chauhan, aged around 50, was a decorated and highly experienced fighter pilot. “During his service, Chauhan had held several important posts such as the Commanding Officer of the Test Pilots’ School. He also commanded a fighter squadron of the IAF,” said one of the officials.
“He was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal in 2010,” he said.
Two air force pilots were killed in March after a microlight aircraft they were flying in crashed at Majuli district in Assam.
Later in April, an Mi-17 chopper crashed in Uttarakhand’s Kedarnath in April, injuring six. An IAF chopper also crash landed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Natha Top on May 23. However, all passengers and the crew were safe.