In a tragic incident on Wednesday afternoon, a Jaguar trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed during a routine training mission in Rajasthan’s Churu district, leading to the death of both pilots on board.
According to an official statement by the IAF, the aircraft was on a standard training sortie when it went down near the Bhanoda village in Churu around 1:25 PM. “A Jaguar Trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed near Churu during a routine mission today. Both pilots suffered fatal injuries. Fortunately, no civilian property has been damaged,” the statement read.
Expressing deep sorrow, the IAF said, “We deeply regret the loss of our brave air warriors and extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the accident.”
Local police authorities confirmed the crash location as an agricultural field, with SHO of Rajaldesar, Kamlesh, sharing the details with PTI.
Past Incidents Raise Safety Concerns
This crash adds to a troubling series of accidents involving IAF aircraft in recent months.
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April 2025: A two-seater Jaguar aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from the Jamnagar Airfield during a night training mission. Due to a technical failure mid-air, the pilots attempted ejection. Sadly, one pilot, Siddharth Yadav, died from injuries sustained during the ejection, while the other pilot was injured but survived.
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March 2025: An IAF fighter jet crashed in Panchkula, Haryana, also during a routine sortie. The pilot managed to steer the aircraft away from populated areas before ejecting safely. The IAF cited a system malfunction and launched an investigation.
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February 2025: A twin-seater Mirage 2000 crashed near Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, during a training exercise. Both pilots successfully ejected and survived the incident.
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November 2024: A MiG-29 fighter jet went down in a field near Agra, Uttar Pradesh, due to a technical issue during a training sortie. The pilot ejected safely.
These recurring incidents have sparked renewed focus on the operational safety of training missions and aircraft maintenance within the Indian Air Force. The ongoing investigations aim to shed light on the technical and procedural lapses, if any, behind these tragic events.
