Indian news agencies reported on Friday morning that the country’s Air Force MiG-29 fighter jet crashes near Hoshiarpur district in Punjab.
According to local media, the aircraft fell to the ground in the Chuharpur village of the district and burst into flames. The pilot ejected safely.
Some sources reported about two pilots which have ejected safely as per eye witness accounts.
Aditya Raj Kaul also released a short video probably from the crash site.
Indian Air Force fighter air craft reportedly has crashed near Hoshiarpur in Punjab. Two pilots have ejected safely as per eye witness accounts. Indian Air Force likely to issue statement giving details shortly. pic.twitter.com/I4HxQqHp0O
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) May 8, 2020
After a few hours, the Indian Air Force officials have confirmed that MiG-29 fighter jet crashed after a technical failure. The pilot ejected safely.
“On 08 May, at 10:45, one Mig-29 aircraft airborne on a training mission from an Air Force base near Jalandhar met with an accident. The aircraft had developed a technical snag and the pilot ejected safely as he was unable to control the aircraft. The pilot has been rescued by a helicopter. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of accident,” a statement from the Ministry of Defense said.
Local authorities rushed to the spot quickly and took stock of the situation. After the crash, the pilot was taken to a nearby hospital.