Post by : Bianca
Haleem
Two pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were killed after a Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter jet crashed in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district on Thursday night during a training mission.
The Air Force identified the pilots as Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar. In a message posted on X, the IAF expressed deep condolences to their families and said the force stands firmly with them during this difficult time.
According to officials, the fighter jet had taken off from the Jorhat Airbase in Assam. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft lost communication with radar at around 7:42 pm.
After contact was lost, search operations were launched. The wreckage of the aircraft was later found in a remote hilly area of Karbi Anglong district, about 60 km from Jorhat.
Local residents reported hearing a loud explosion from a nearby hill and saw a large ball of fire, indicating the crash site.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was deeply saddened by the tragic loss of the two pilots. In a post on X, he said their courage and dedication to the nation would always be remembered with pride and gratitude. He also expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
The Sukhoi Su-30 MKI is a two-seater, long-range fighter aircraft developed by Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi. It is produced in India under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force.
The aircraft was first inducted into the IAF in 1997, and the force currently operates more than 260 Su-30 MKI fighter jets, making it one of the main combat aircraft in India’s air defence fleet.
This is not the first such incident involving the aircraft. A Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet crashed in Nashik, Maharashtra, in June 2024, while another crashed in January 2023 after taking off from the Gwalior Airbase in Madhya Pradesh.
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