2 Pilots Killed In Air Force's MiG-21 Jet

Crash In Rajasthan's Barmer!

On Friday, Two pilots were killed after a twin-seater MiG-21 aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed in Rajasthan’s Barmer district, the Indian Air Force said in a statement.

According to the information, the incident took place around 9pm on the outskirts of Bhimda village under Batoo police station area in the district.

“A twin seater Mig-21 trainer aircraft of the IAF was airborne for a training sortie from Utarlai air base in Rajasthan this evening,” it said in a statement.

Further the statement read, “Around 9:10 pm, the aircraft met with an accident near Barmer. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries. The IAF deeply regrets the loss of lives and stands firmly with the bereaved families.”

Adding more, senior officials from the air force and district administration, including Barmer collector and superintendent of police reached the spot of the incident.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari in connection with the crash of the fighter aircraft in Barmer, ANI reported.

“Deeply anguished by the loss of two Air Warriors due to an accident of IAF’s Mig-21 trainer aircraft near Barmer in Rajasthan,” Singh said on Twitter.

Their service to the nation will never be forgotten. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of sadness,” he said.

The MiG-21 is a Soviet-era single-engine multirole fighter/ground attack aircraft that once formed the backbone of the IAF fleet. The aircraft has a poor safety record and is expected to be withdrawn from service within the next decade by which time it will be replaced with more modern types.