Morena (Madhya Pradesh): A pilot was killed after two Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets - a Sukhoi Su-30 and a Mirage 2000 - were involved in a mid-air collision during a routine operational flying training on Saturday morning. The two fighter jets had taken off from the Gwalior air base in Madhya Pradesh. While one of the aircraft fell in Morena, the other one went down in Rajasthan's Bharatpur.
The IAF has not yet officially confirmed whether the aircraft collided mid-air and are investigating the mishap. "Two fighter aircraft of IAF were involved in an accident near Gwalior today morning. The aircraft were on routine operational flying training mission. One of the three pilots involved, sustained fatal injuries. An inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the accident," the IAF tweeted. The deceased pilot was identified as Wing Commander Hanumanth Rao Sarathi from Belagavi, Karnataka.
"The IAF deeply regrets to inform that Wg Cdr Hanumanth Rao Sarathi suffered fatal injuries during the accident. All air warriors and the fraternity stand strongly with the bereaved family," the IAF wrote in another tweet.
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Sources said Sarathy was flying Mirage 2000. "During a routine operational flying mission, Su-30 hit Mirage mid-air leading to crash of Mirage 2000 in Morena. Su30 managed to fly for some more time before its pilot ejected and debris fell in Bharatpur. Both Morena and Bharatpur are adjoining districts of MP and Rajasthan and are not far from Gwalior Airbase," they said.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said he was saddened by the incident. He instructed the local administration to extend their full cooperation in the rescue operations. "The crash of Sukhoi-30 and Mirage-2000 aircraft of the Air Force near Kailaras in Morena is saddening. I have instructed the local administration to cooperate with the Air Force in quick rescue and relief work. I pray to God that the pilots of the planes are safe," he tweeted in Hindi.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was briefed by the Chief of Air Staff on the crash. The minister enquired about the well-being of the IAF pilots and is monitoring the developments closely, Defence Ministry sources said. Singh is in touch with CDS Gen Anil Chauhan and IAF chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari and is trying to gather more details, sources added. However, the IAF court of inquiry is supposed to find out whether there was a mid-air collision or not and the root cause behind the mishap.
