IAF Aircraft MiG-21 Crashes In Rajasthan's Barmer, 2 Pilots Killed

On July 28, an IAF MiG-21 trainer aircraft crashed during a training sortie in Barmer, Rajasthan. Both the pilots were killed after sustaining fatal injuries.

The fighter jet was airborne for a training sortie from Utarlai air base in Barmer before crashing at 9:10 PM on the outskirts of Bhimda village under the Batoo police station.

The IAF mentioned that it "deeply regrets the loss of lives and stands firmly with the bereaved families". A court of inquiry to investigate the cause of the accident has been ordered.

In the aftermath, Rajnath Singh contacted IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari to take stock of the incident.

The Soviet-designed MiG fighter aircraft has been questioned for its poor safety record and is expected to be replaced by modern air-fighters within the next decade.