Naval aircraft crashes into Hyderabad building, pilots dead

A naval aerobatic plane, flying in a formation during an airshow, today crashed into a three-storied building in Hyderabad, killing two pilots and injuring seven persons on the ground. See map

A naval aerobatic plane, flying in a formation during an airshow, on Wednesday crashed into a three-storied residential building in Hyderabad, killing two pilots and injuring seven persons on the ground.

HT Image

The Kiran MK-II plane, which was part of the 'Sagar Pawan' aerobatic team participating in a display at the India
Aviation show, crashed around noon, causing a loud bang in the New Bowenpally area, about four km from the Old Begumpet Airport.

Navy chief Nirmal Verma, who was in Bhopal, said the pilots had not ejected. "So the possibility is either timewise
there was a problem or they (the pilots) were making all efforts to ensure that damage is minimised to any civil area.
They are no more," he said.

"The inputs that I have got is that about seven people are injured," he said, adding, "I have to wait for more
information. It is premature for me to say what could have caused the crash at this stage."

The pilots were Commander SK Maurya and Lt. Commander Rahul Nair, a navy spokesman said in New Delhi. Nair belongs to Delhi.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner AK Khan said the plane crashed into the residential building which had a cellphone
tower on top. A car parked outside the building was smashed as one of the plane's wings fell on it.

The injured have been sent to a hospital, Khan said.