A Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan on Tuesday during an operational training sortie. The pilot ejected safely, the IAF confirmed in a statement. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the accident. The crash marks the first incident involving a domestically built jet, according to news agency PTI.
The crash occurred approximately 100 km away from the Pokhran desert, where the 'Bharat Shakti' war game was underway, witnessed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top military officials. PTI cited Military sources as suggesting that the Tejas jet was supposed to participate in the exercise.
Jaisalmer Additional Superintendent of Police Mahendra Singh confirmed that there was no loss of life or property in the crash near the Kalla residential colony, PTI's report mentioned. Witnesses observed thick black smoke rising from a single-storey brick structure where the aircraft crashed. This incident marks the first time a Tejas jet has been involved in an accident, it further stated.
Manufactured by the state-run aerospace company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the Tejas aircraft is a versatile platform for air combat and offensive air support missions, with reconnaissance and anti-ship operations as secondary roles.
The Tejas fleet is expected to be the backbone of the IAF, with nearly 40 initial variants already inducted. In February 2021, the defence ministry finalized a Rs 48,000 crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the IAF. Additionally, the ministry approved the procurement of an additional batch of 97 Tejas jets for the IAF in November last year.
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Trainer Aircraft Crash At Guna Airstrip In Madhya Pradesh
Earlier this month, a trainee aircraft encountered an accident at Madhya Pradesh's Guna airstrip. The incident occurred on March 6 evening following a malfunction during the flight from Neemuch to Dhana. According to reports, the female trainee pilot sustained injuries.
Sub-Inspector Chanchal Tiwari of the Guna Police provided details, stating, "After developing a malfunction, a trainer aircraft flying from Neemuch to Dhana (in Sagar district) made an emergency landing, during which the pilot lost control. The trainee pilot sustained injuries and has been hospitalised."
Reacting to the incident, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia expressed concern and stated that investigations are underway to determine the reasons for the accident. In a social media post, he said, "A concerning news has been received about the crash of a trainee aircraft flying on the Neemuch-Dhana-Guna sector at Guna Air Strip. The female trainee pilot is undergoing treatment in the hospital. The reasons for the accident are being investigated..."