ANS: Three women were killed and three others were injured after an Air Force MIG-21 Fighter aircraft crashed into their home in a village of Hanumangarh district in Rajasthan.
The aircraft had taken off from the Suratgarh airbase for a routine exercise before it crashed due to some technical snag in Bahlol Nagar village near the Pilibanga area.
“MiG-21 fighter aircraft crashed in the morning at about 9:45 am today. The aircraft had got airborne for a routine operational training sortie from the Air Force Station at Suratgarh, said an official statement issued by the IAF.
“Soon thereafter, the pilot experienced an onboard emergency, following which he attempted to recover the aircraft as per existing procedures. Having failed to do so, he initiated an ejection, sustaining minor injuries in the process. The pilot was recovered from about 25 kilometres North East of Suratgarh base,” it stated.
“The aircraft wreckage fell on a house in Bahlol Nagar in Hanumangarh district, unfortunately leading to the loss of three lives. The IAF regrets the loss of lives and offers its deepest condolences to the bereaved families. A Court of Inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident,” it said.
The district collector of the Hanumangarh, Rukmani Riar told that the administration and police personnel have been deployed for relief and rescue work.