India Air Force's MiG-21 crashes in Punjab, pilot killed

Reacting to the death of the pilot of the fighter jet, the Indian Air Force said in a statement that it condoles the tragic loss and stands firmly with the bereaved family.

An Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-21 fighter aircraft crashed near Moga in Punjab late on Thursday night, killing the pilot, the IAF said. The aircraft was on a routine training sortie when the accident happened in Langeana village of Moga.

A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to find out the reason of the crash.

"There was an aircraft accident last night involving a Bison aircraft of IAF in the western sector. The pilot, Sqn Ldr Abhinav Choudhary, sustained fatal injuries. IAF condoles the tragic loss and stands firmly with the bereaved family," the IAF said in a statement posted on Twitter.

An official told news agency PTI that an IAF tea, from Halwara and Bathinda with medical personnel and ambulances has reached the crash site, about 12 km from Baghapurana town on the Mudki road.

"The aircraft crashed in a field and caught fire. It was raining heavily at the time," Moga Superintendent of Police Gurdeep Singh said, adding that there was no other loss of life or damage to property.

The pilot's body was found about two kilometres from the crash site, barely 200 metres from a couple of big 'havelis', he added.