IAF Mirage 2000 aircraft crashes in Madhya Pradesh, pilot ejects safely

Bhopal, October 21, 2021

A Mirage 2000 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in the Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh on Thursday but the pilot managed to eject safely, official sources said.

"An IAF Mirage 2000 aircraft experienced a technical malfunction during a training sortie in the central sector this morning," a spokesperson for the IAF said on Twitter.

"The pilot ejected safely. An inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident," the statement added.

IANS adds:

The incident occurred at Mankabagh village near Barauli area of Bhind, which is around 500 km from state capital Bhopal.

A video taken by a local showed pilot gliding down smoothly with the help of a parachute. However, he received minor injuries.

"Soon after the crash, the plane caught fire. However, the pilot ejected safely with minor injuries," said a police official in Bhind district.

"Villagers spotted the aircraft and informed local police. A team rushed to the spot and started rescue operation," said a senior police official.

The aircraft had taken off from Maharajpura airbase in Gwalior in the morning, a senior airport official told IANS.

NNN