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A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed into a house in the Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan on Monday, 8 May, claiming lives of three women, the police said.
"The aircraft wreckage fell on a house in Bahlol Nagar in Hanumangarh District, unfortunately leading to the loss of three lives. The IAF regrets the loss of lives and offers its deepest condolences to the bereaved families," said a statement released by the Ministry of Defence.
"The aircraft crashed on the house of one Ratti Ram, killing his wife Basho Kaur and two other women identified as Leela Devi and Banto Kaur," said Sudheer Chaudhary, Superintendent Of Police, Hanumangarh, reported news agency PTI. Three other people have been injured, Chaudhary added.
The pilot ejected safely but sustained minor injuries, the IAF said.
The accident occurred during a routine operational training sortie. The IAF has constituted an inquiry to ascertain the cause of the accident.
Describing the crash, a local said that "he heard a loud sound and saw a parachute coming down. Within seconds, the plane crashes on the house of Ratti Ram and wood stored in the house caught fire," as quoted by PTI.
This comes two months after a Sukhoi-30 and a Mirage-2000 — two fighter planes of the Indian Air Force (IAF), crashed in the Morena district of Madhya Pradesh, claiming the life of a pilot.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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