Luckily, no casualties were reported and the pilot of the fighter aircraft successfully ejected to safety before the aircraft hit the ground and caught fire.
(Representational image: iStock)
A MiG-29 fighter jet of the Indian Air Force crashed into open fields near Agra, Uttar Pradesh, on Monday during a routine training mission.
Luckily, no casualties were reported and the pilot of the fighter aircraft successfully ejected to safety before the aircraft hit the ground and caught fire.
As the aircraft fell on the ground it turned into a ball of fire in the blink of an eye with explosions heard far and wide at around 4 pm.
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Soon after the crash, a huge crowd of villagers gathered at the spot along with police personnel, IAF officers, and fire brigade.
According to a Defence spokesperson, “A MiG-29 aircraft of the IAF crashed near Agra during a routine training sortie today due to a system malfunction. The pilot maneuvered the aircraft to prevent any damage to life or property on the ground before ejecting safely.”
The IAF has initiated an inquiry to determine the cause of the incident. Sources indicate that the training flight originated from the Adampur air base, located near Jalandhar. The pilot has been transported to a military hospital in Agra for evaluation.
Social media footage of the incident shows thick plumes of smoke emanating from the wreckage in the fields. This incident follows a similar crash in September when another MiG-29 went down in Uttarlai, Barmer, Rajasthan, also due to a technical snag, with the pilot ejecting to safety before the aircraft’s impact.
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