West Bengal: MiG-27 crash toll climbs to three

Jalpaiguri: The black box of the MiG-27 aircraft, which crashed yesterday in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district, was retrieved on Sunday as the toll rose to three with two more persons succumbing to their injuries.

The black box or digital flight data recorder was located from near the spot in Bhotputti village where the crash took place, a senior Air Force officer told reporters here.

The MiG-27 had taken off from the Hashimara Air Base on a routine sortie and crashed within minutes, killing one person on the ground and injuring many. A farmer Bholen Roy, who was cultivating his field, was killed when the fighter jet crashed between Moynaguri and Chengrabandha.

Two more persons, who were seriously injured, later died at hospital, taking the toll due to the crash to three.

Teenager Purnima Rai succumbed to her burn injuries at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital last night. Ten-year old Latika Roy also died of her injuries in the hospital yesterday, Jalpaiguri Sub Divisional Officer Naba Kumar Barman said.

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The Air Force would pay an initial compensation of Rs one lakh to the kin of the dead and Rs 20,000 to the injured, the Air Force officer said.

It has ordered an investigation into the crash. A three-member team, which includes a technical officer and a senior pilot, arrived from Delhi to probe the crash. Another team from the Hashimara Air Base also reached the spot.

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Besides the death, 16 people were injured in the crash and as many houses damaged. Saket Verma, injured pilot of the fighter jet who had ejected from the aircraft and returned to the airbase, also suffered injuries.