MiG crash in Kutch, pilot safe

A trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in a village about 20 kilometres from Bhuj in Kutch district on Friday afternoon.

The Mig 21 Type 96 aircraft was on a routine training sortie when the crash occurred, said Defence spokesman Wing Commander SR Menon.

The Pilot Flight Lieutenant S Agashe, however, managed to bail out and was rescued and brought back to base.

The IAF has ordered a court of inquiry to probe the incident.

This is the first crash of a MiG-21 this year. So far during the last ten years about 90 fighter planes have crashed.

The fighters are ageing and are on the verge of being phased out. IAF has recently completed upgrade of 125 of these fighters with Russian and Israeli know how.

The exact cause of the accident is not yet ascertained, added the Defence spokesman.

with PTI inputs