Both pilots killed after IAF Jaguar jet crashes in Rajasthan

New Delhi: An Indian Air Force Jaguar twin-seater combat trainer aircraft crashed on Wednesday near Churu in Rajasthan, killing both the pilots.

“An IAF Jaguar trainer aircraft met with an accident during a routine training mission and crashed near Churu in Rajasthan today. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries in the accident. No damage to any civil property has been reported,” the IAF said in a brief statement.

The force said it deeply regretted the loss of lives and stood firmly with the bereaved families in such a time of grief.

A court of inquiry has been constituted, to ascertain the cause of the accident.

Sources said the fighter took off from Suratgarh air base and crashed in an agricultural field in Bhanoda village around 1.25 pm.

Shortly after the crash, locals rushed to the site and found burning debris. Police from Rajaldesar and Ratangarh, fire brigade officials and ambulances were rushed in, and the area was cordoned off. Police officials said they recovered human body parts from the crash site.

This is the third Jaguar crash of the year and adds to the IAF’s woes over depleting squadron strength. The first crash happened on March 7 where the pilot managed to eject. It was followed by a second Jaguar crash on April 2 in which a young IAF pilot died.

India is the only country that still operates the Jaguars that entered the IAF for the first time in 1979. New Delhi received 40 aircraft built in Europe whereas 120 of them were license produced at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bengaluru.

The aircraft underwent a number of modifications and upgrades, and are currently at the fag end of their service live. The IAF is the only air force that still operates the Jaguars with less than 120 aircraft in the inventory spread over six squadrons at Ambala, Jamnagar and Gorakhpur.

IAF officials claimed that over the years, the number of accidents has come down. In the 13th Defence Plan period between 2017-18 and 2021-22, there were 34 accidents of IAF aircraft that include 23 fighter jets. The list includes three Jaguar crashes in 2018, 2019 and 2021.