Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh): A trainer aircraft, which was on a routine training sortie, crashed in Lodagi Chowki area in Balaghat region of Madhya Pradesh on Saturday afternoon leading to death of pilot and co-pilot. The mishap took place under Lanji police station limits, which is a Maoist-infested zone. The aircraft crashed in a hilly region near Bhakku Tola falling under the Lanji area. The trainer aircraft took off from Birsi airstrip (Gondia) in Maharashtra at 2 pm on Saturday. Soon after the take off, the plane crashed. The cause of accident was not known.
According to preliminary information coming from of the mishap site, the plane crashed in a hilly region between Bhakkutola in Lanji and Kirnapur police station areas of Balaghat. Female trainee pilot Rukashanka and instructor Mohit died in the mishap. Kamlesh Meshram from Air Traffic Control, Gondia, while confirming the plane crash, revealed the names of the deceased.
Recently, two Air Force fighter aircraft Sukhoi Su-30 and Mirage 2000 crashed during a routine sortie in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh. Defence sources had then said that the mid air collision had taken place between the two aircraft when both the planes were involved in routine exercise.
The Sukhoi aircraft was being operated by two pilots, whereas one pilot was operating the Mirage fighter plane. Both the aircraft are being used by the Indian Air Force in the frontline defence. Besides, a trainer aircraft had crashed into a field near Umri village under Chorhata police station area of Rewa district in Madhya Pradesh. Chief pilot Captain Vimal died while the critically injured trainee pilot had been undergoing treatment at Sanjay Gandhi Hospital.
