IAF Jaguar Fighter Jet Crashes in Rajasthan’s Churu; Two Civilians Killed
A Jaguar fighter aircraft belonging to the Indian Air Force (IAF) was destroyed on Wednesday in Rajasthan’s Churu district. It resulted in the death of two people. The accident occurred close to Ratangarh town, in which the plane crashed during an ordinary mission.
According to military sources, the plane began its scheduled flight but encountered issues in mid-air and crashed. The aircraft crashed in a neighborhood of homes near the edge of the city, injuring two residents. The emergency services were on the site and verified the deaths.
The police and IAF teams swiftly secured the scene of the crash. The remains of the dead were retrieved and taken to postmortem. The authorities are still waiting to announce the names of the deceased. There are no injuries to the pilot that has been reported to date. Officials are currently determining whether the pilot was able to get out of the aircraft in time.
Residents reported hearing a loud explosion, followed by a blaze and smoke erupting from the scene. The crash was reported by eyewitnesses to have brought panic to the area as several homes shook because of the impact. Thankfully, there was no fire that occurred in the populous area, which prevented more deaths.
It is the second fatal crash that involved the Jaguar fighter aircraft during the past three months. In April a Jaguar was involved in a crash during an ordinary training exercise close to the Jamnagar Air Force Station in Gujarat. The aircraft crashed into an open area near Suvarda village. Two pilots were aboard. One survived despite ejecting after ejecting, whereas the other was killed upon collision.
The Jaguar deep strike aircraft that was incorporated into the IAF in the latter part of the 1970s is an integral part of India’s military operations. But its aging airframes and increasing maintenance issues have raised concerns over the last few years.
It is expected that the Indian Air Force willcall for the establishment of a tribunal to determine the reason for the crash that occurred today. Though a technical fault is suspected, the real cause can only be determined following a thorough investigation.
Local authorities have extended assistance to families of the deceased. Compensation will likely to be announced in the near future. Additional information from the IAF are in the pipeline.
