A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed today in Rajasthan's Barmer during a training mission. The pilot ejected safely, officials said.
The MiG-21 Bison jet set a hut on fire after it crashed into it in the Matasar Bhoortiya village of Barmer this evening.
The pilot is safe, officials said.
The aircraft had experienced a technical malfunction after take off, the Indian Air Force said in a tweet soon after the accident.
"At around 5:30 pm today, an IAF MiG-21 Bison aircraft airborne for a training sortie in the western sector, experienced a technical malfunction after take off. The pilot ejected safely," the Air Force tweeted from its account.
A court of inquiry has been ordered to find out the cause behind the accident, it added.
At around 1730 hrs today, an IAF MiG-21 Bison aircraft airborne for a training sortie in the western sector, experienced a technical malfunction after take off. The pilot ejected safely.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) August 25, 2021
A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause.
Pictures shared by news agency ANI showed smoke rising from a hut which caught fire, and the pilot lying on the ground in the village after being taken to safety.
"There is no civilian casualty due to the crash of the fighter plane. Policemen have reached the spot," Superintendent of Police of Barmer, Anand Sharma, told news agency PTI.
This is the fourth accident involving the MiG-21 this year. In May, an Air Force pilot was killed in a MiG-21 aircraft crash in Punjab. In March, an Air Force Group Captain died when the aircraft was taking off for a combat training mission. Earlier this year, in January, the IAF had reported a MiG-21 aircraft crash near Suratgarh in Rajasthan.
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