On Tuesday, a MiG-21 fighter aircraft crashed while landing at Naal airfield in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district, killing the pilot.
The Jaguars were inducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from late 1970s till mid-80s.
The aircraft crashed in Dilahi Firozpur village about 50 miles south east of Gorakhpur at about 1210 hrs. The aircraft had got airborne from Gorakhpur air base and was on a routine flying training sortie, according to sources in the Defence Ministry.
“Pilot of the aircraft Flight Lieutenant S Pandey died in the crash. A girl who was hit by a splinter on ground from the crashed aircraft also succumbed to injuries,” an IAF spokesperson said.
IAF team rushed to the accident site and took possession of the pilot’s body.
The twin-engine aircraft burst into flames after hitting the ground.
While 18-year-old Ruma was killed, two other women working in the field were injured, police said.
“A court of inquiry has been ordered by the Indian Air Force. The cause of the crash is not yet known,” the IAF spokesperson said.
The IAF operates over 100 Jaguars in six squadrons which are based at Gorakhpur, Ambala and Jamnagar.
The last Jaguar crash was on October 26, 2007 near Jamnagar in which the pilot had ejected safely.
After carrying out upgrades on the aircraft in the last decade, the IAF is also planning to equip the planes with more powerful engines.