The Indian Air Force said in a statement that the aircraft had taken off on a "routine operational training sortie" from a nearby base.
A MiG-21 aircraft. Photo: WK
"Immediately after this, the pilot experienced an in-flight emergency and attempted to level the aircraft as per procedure. Unable to do so, he initiated ejection and sustained minor injuries in the process," the Indian Air Force said.
However, “the aircraft debris later fell on a house in Bahlol Nagar, Hanumangarh district, killing three people.” The Air Force said an investigation has been set up to determine the cause of the accident.
The MiG-21 has had a rather troubled history in India, despite being the backbone of the country's Air Force for decades. First acquired from the Soviet Union in 1963, several variants have been added to the Indian Air Force fleet over the years.
Last July, two pilots were killed when their two-seater MiG-21 trainer crashed near Barmer, also in Rajasthan. It was the sixth MiG-21 crash since January 2021, with all five pilots killed.
The Indian military has also suffered several other serious aviation accidents recently. Last week, an Indian-made military helicopter with three people on board crashed in the Jammu and Kashmir region.
And two Indian fighter jets collided midair during a training exercise in January 2023, south of India’s capital, New Delhi. One of the pilots died in the collision. That incident involved two more modern aircraft, a Russian-made Su-30 and a French-made Mirage 2000.
In January 2020, India's top military officer, then Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, was among 13 people killed when a military transport helicopter crashed en route to an airbase.
India is trying to modernize its air force by a combination of acquiring aircraft and other equipment from Russia and France, while also trying to develop its own domestic aviation industry.
Bui Huy (according to AFP, Reuters, DW)
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