In the early hours of Friday, an Indian Air Force pilot was killed in a MiG-21 fighter jet crash in Punjab’s Moga district’s Langeana village. The pilot has been named IAF MCC Squadron leader Abhinav Chaudhary, who was undergoing night training at the time of the crash.
Soon after the incident, local police and IAF officials from Bathinda and Halwara airbases arrived on the scene. After a four-hour search, the pilot’s body was discovered about two kilometers from the crash site. There were no other casualties, though. According to the police, no houses or other structures in the village were damaged.
“Pilot was @IAF MCC Squadron chief Abhinav Chaudhary,” Moga SP (HQ) Gurdeep Singh told. After a four-hour search, his body was discovered 2-kilometers from the crash site. The parachute was discovered open, an SOS was sent from his device, but he had already died. He attempted to land successfully with a parachute but broke his spine and spinal cord, according to reports. IAF officials from Bathinda and Halwara arrived on the scene at 3 a.m. and retrieved the body.”
“According to IAF authorities, the flight took off from Suratgarh in Rajasthan for night training in Jagraon (Ludhiana).” The plane was flying back to Suratgarh when it crashed in Moga,” Singh explained.
He also stated that no further fatalities had been identified. “It was a tragic occurrence because we were unable to rescue the pilot, but the fighter jet, fortunately, crashed into open fields. There have been no other fatalities, and the inhabitants of Langeana Nawan are safe. There was no harm to the house.”
Locals thought it was a blast when they heard the smash sound, so they contacted the police control center, which sent a team to the scene, according to police.
The Indian Air Force expressed its condolences on Twitter, stating that a Court of Inquiry has been directed to determine the cause of the crash. “An IAF Bison aircraft was involved in an aircraft crash last night in the western area. Sqn Ldr Abhinav Choudhary, the pilot, died as a result of his injury. IAF expresses its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. The cause of the crash has been requested to be investigated by a Court of Inquiry,” the IAF tweeted.
A senior Indian Air Force fighter pilot died earlier this year when a MiG-21 Bison fighter jet crashed while taking off from Gwalior. Group Captain Ashish Gupta was assigned to the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment, which provides tactical instruction to fighter pilots.
