News Desk
JORHAT: Two Indian Air Force pilots were killed after a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet crashed in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district during a training mission on Thursday night.
The aircraft, which had taken off from Jorhat airbase, lost communication shortly afterward and crashed in a remote hilly area approximately 60 kilometers away. Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar sustained fatal injuries, the IAF confirmed in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Local residents reported hearing a loud explosion and seeing a large ball of fire, prompting villagers to assist search teams using torches and lights. India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed grief over the incident, praising the pilots’ courage and service to the nation and offering support to their families.
The Sukhoi Su-30MKI is a two-seater, multirole, long-range fighter jet developed by Russia’s Sukhoi and produced under license by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The aircraft was first inducted into the IAF in 1997, and the force currently operates more than 260 Su-30MKI jets. This incident follows other recent Su-30 crashes, including in Nashik, Maharashtra in June 2024, and Gwalior in January 2023.
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