MiG-21 Crash In Rajasthan’s Barmer: Two pilots were killed when a MiG-21 jet of the Indian Air Force crashed during a training flight in Rajasthan’s Barmer on Thursday evening.
Visuals from the crash site showed debris in flames, scattered across the area. See Video
MiG-21 Crash In Rajasthan’s Barmer
“A twin seater MiG-21 trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force was taking off for training from Uttarlai airport in Rajasthan this evening. Around 9:10 pm, the plane crashed near Barmer. Both the pilots were fatally injured were injured.” Air Force said in a statement.
“The Indian Air Force deeply regrets the loss of lives and stands firmly with the bereaved families,” the statement said.
A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the accident, the statement said.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhary after the accident.
Mig-21 the Flying Coffin
“Deeply saddened by the loss of two air warriors due to the crash of a MiG-21 trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force near Barmer in Rajasthan,” Mr Singh said on Twitter.
MiG-21 Crash
“His service to the nation will never be forgotten. My condolences to the bereaved families in this hour of grief,” he said.
The MiG-21 is a Soviet-era single-engine multirole fighter/ground attack aircraft that was once the backbone of the Indian Air Force fleet.
The aircraft has a poor safety record and is expected to be withdrawn from service within the next decade, by which time it will be replaced by more modern types.
Mig 21 crash pilot
There have been at least six MiG-21 crashes since January last year, killing five pilots. In all, at least 44 military personnel have lost their lives in 46 plane and helicopter crashes in the armed forces in the last five years. The old Soviet-origin MiG-21, the first truly supersonic fighter aircraft to be inducted by the Indian Air Force in 1963, has had a high accident rate, especially over the years.
how many mig 21 crash in india
The MiG-21 should have been retired long back. But the huge delay in inducting new fighters, especially the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), has meant that the Indian Air Force still converts four MiG-21 squadrons (16-18 jets each) to ‘Bison’ standards. Works even after upgrading.
The MiG-21, which has a landing and take-off speed of 340 kmph in the world, is of 1960s design vintage and largely devoid of modern systems with built-in safety mechanisms.
