Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday, 6 February, said it will send the black box recovered from the Mirage 2000, which crashed on 1 February, to France to ascertain the exact details of the mishap, reported ANI.
The black box of the aircraft, which is essential for the collection of in-flight data, was recovered nearly two hours after the crash.
According to The Times of India, the black box will be sent to Dassault Aviation, its original equipment manufacturer to mine data.
“Usually the decoding of the black box takes place in India, but this black box was sent to France because it was badly burnt in the crash,” the official told the daily.
On 1 February, two IAF pilots died after Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) trainer fighter aircraft crashed at the HAL Airport in Bengaluru.
The pilots identified as Squadron Leader Samir Abrol and Squadron Leader Siddartha Negi ejected moments before the crash. However, one of them died after landing on the wreckage. Reports don’t specify if it was Squadron leader Negi or Abrol.
The other succumbed to his injuries in the hospital, where he was admitted in a critical condition.
According to HAL officials, the Mirage aircraft crashed into a blockade near the runway. Both HAL and IAF are conducting a joint-investigation.
“It happened soon after take-off. They crashed into a blockade near the runway.”HAL PRO
Defence Minister Meets the Pilots’ Kin
Negi, who hailed from Dehradun, Uttrakhand, was commissioned in the IAF in June 2009. Abrol hailed from Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad, was commissioned in June 2008 and is survived by his wife.
Earlier on Tuesday, 5 February, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met their families.
The mortal remains of Negi were cremated with military honours on 2 February. Abrol's body was flown to Ghaziabad on the same day. His last rites were performed in his hometown with full military honours.
(With inputs from The Times of India)
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