In a big aviation accident for India, a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft crashed in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam, as confirmed by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Friday. The crash was confirmed hours after the fighter aircraft was reported missing after takeoff from Assam's Jorhat on Thursday evening.
The crash took place 60 kilometers away from Jorhat and a search is underway to locate the jet, the IAF said. The crash is the latest case in a series of aviation accidents that have been witnessed in India over the past few weeks - the latest examples being an air ambulance that crashed in Jharkhand's Chatra district last month after take off from Ranchi, and the Learjet 45 aircraft that crashed in Maharashtra's Baramati in January, an accident that led to the death of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.
While the Sukhoi-30 MKI crash has been confirmed, suspense still remains on its whereabouts. Here's what we know so far:
Contact lost at 7:42 pm: The fighter jet was on a training mission and took off from Assam's Jorhat on Thursday evening. However, according to defence officials, the aircraft was last in contact with ground control at around 7.42 pm and went off radar after that.
{{/usCountry}}Contact lost at 7:42 pm: The fighter jet was on a training mission and took off from Assam's Jorhat on Thursday evening. However, according to defence officials, the aircraft was last in contact with ground control at around 7.42 pm and went off radar after that.
{{/usCountry}}2 pilots on board: Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar were the two pilots on board the ill-fated fighter jet. Their whereabouts were earlier unknown, but the IAF confirmed on Friday that both pilots were killed in the crash. “All personnel of the IAF express sincere condolences and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief,” the IAF said in a tweet.
‘Loud explosion’ in Karbi Anglong: After the radar contact was lost, the aircraft was declared missing, prompting a search and rescue operation for the aircraft and its two pilots. However, locals in Assam's Karbi Anglong district reported a loud explosion following which the IAF also confirmed that the jet had crashed in the area. A local reportedly saw the plane coming down. “We heard a loud noise and an explosion…,” news agency ANI quoted the local as saying.
The Su-30MKI is a two-seat multirole fighter aircraft developed by the Russian aerospace manufacturer Sukhoi for the IAF and India operates one of the largest fleets of Su-30MKI fighters in the world.