A defence official has informed that a MIG-27 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed in Eta village in Pokharan tehsil of Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district. However, the pilot ejected safely, Defence spokesperson Col Sombit Ghosh said. "A MIG 27 aircraft airborne from Jaisalmer crashed during a routine mission today evening. Pilot ejected safely. A Court of Inquiry will investigate the cause of the accident", Ghosh said.
Jaisalmer SP Kiran Kang said that so far no casualty has been reported and that a police team is in touch with Air Force officials. She said that a police team has rushed to the spot.
Earlier this month, a Mirage-2000 trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force had crashed at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Airport near Bengaluru killing two pilots on 1st of February. Though both the pilots made a bid to eject, they were caught in the flames as the plane crashed with a huge explosion, the official added.
Squadron Leader Samir Abrol and Squadron Leader Siddhartha Negi, both from Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment, were conducting an acceptance foray of the newly upgraded Mirage-2000 trainer jet when the incident took place.