Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, May 27: An Indian Air Force (IAF) jet, MiG-21, crashed this morning in Awantipora area of South Kashmir during a routine sortie it took from Awantipora airbase, killing the pilot of the jet. The IAF has ordered a Court of Inquiry to investigate the cause of the crash.
An Air Force spokesman said here that the single-seater MiG-21 jet, a Russian-built aircraft, crashed close to the town of Awantipora, some 10 kilometers from Awantipora Airbase at around 10: 48 a.m. “The MiG was on a routine training sortie. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate into the cause of the accident”, the spokesman added.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police, South Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar, told Excelsior that the MiG-21 crashed in village Mirhama and the pilot of the fighter jet was killed in the crash. He identified the pilot as Squadron leader, Raghuvanshi. He said that the jet crashed in agriculture fields and there were no causalities on the ground.
An eyewitness, Meraj Ahmad, who was working on a road project at the time of crash said: “We saw smoke coming out of the jet and it was followed by huge explosion and then it fell on the ground in agriculture fields. We also saw pilot ejecting from the jet.”
An Air Force MI -17 helicopter immediately landed on the crash site with Air Force men. They took the body of the pilot and were looking for the cockpit voice recorder that will give the reasons that led to the crash. The Cheetah helicopters of the IAF were hovering over the crash site.
Hundreds of people from neighbouring village gathered at the crash site. Army, police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) cordoned off the crash site and were looking for vital clues.
The accident was the latest in a series of crashes involving MiG-21 aircraft, which have been nicknamed widow maker and flying coffins for their frequent crashes.
According to defence sources, more than half of 872 MiGs have been lost to crashes over the last four decades.
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley expressed his condolence over death of the pilot and concern about plane crash. “I am sorry about this news, matter of grave concern. My heart goes out to the pilot who lost his life,” he told reporters in New Delhi.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah while expressing condolence over the killing of the pilot said in his tweet: “Not entirely disconnected from today’s crash the new Govt needs to sort of defence procurement issue for Navy, AirForce & Army ASAP. My condolences to the family, friends & colleagues of the pilot killed in the MiG crash today. May his soul rest in peace.”
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