A fighter jet of the Indian Air Force has crashed in the Churu district of the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan. Both pilots aboard the aircraft were killed in the incident. According to a report by NDTV, the jet crashed during a routine training mission on Wednesday.
The report states that at 1:25 PM local time on Wednesday, a two-seater Jaguar fighter jet crashed near Bhanoda village in Churu district, Rajasthan. Both pilots died in the crash. However, there was no damage to any civilian infrastructure.
The Indian Air Force has announced an investigation into the crash. It expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the two pilots and said it stands with the bereaved families during this time of mourning.
NDTV reports that this is the third such crash of a Jaguar fighter jet of the Indian Air Force this year. Previously, crashes occurred on March 7 in Panchkula, Haryana, and on April 12 near Jamnagar, Gujarat.
The special aircraft had taken off from the Suratgarh Air Base in Rajasthan. The Jaguar is a twin-engine fighter jet used extensively by the Indian Air Force. It comes in both single- and dual-seater variants. Despite being an older model, the aircraft has undergone extensive upgrades and continues to be widely used.
Currently, the Indian Air Force has around 120 Jaguar fighter jets, which are deployed across six squadrons.
