Authorities in India said three people were killed on the ground on Monday when a Russian-made MiG-21 military plane experienced a “onboard emergency” and obliterated a house.
In recent years, India’s air force has experienced a string of crashes, many of which have been linked to decades-old planes supplied by the former Soviet Union.
The MiG fighter jet crashed into a house in the western state of Rajasthan, killing three villagers, according to police officer Sudhir Chaudhary.
According to the Indian Air Force (IAF), the pilot ejected safely and the accident occurred shortly after take-off during a routine training sortie.
The pilot “experienced an onboard emergency, following which he attempted to recover the aircraft as per existing procedures,” an IAF statement said.
“Having failed to do so, he initiated an ejection, sustaining minor injuries in the process,” it said.
A MiG-21 aircraft of the IAF crashed near Suratgarh during a routine training sortie today morning. The pilot ejected safely, sustaining minor injuries.
An inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 8, 2023
“The IAF regrets the loss of lives and offers its deepest condolences to the bereaved families. A Court of Inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.”
‘Flying coffins’
The crash was the latest in a series of accidents suffered by the Indian military.
Last week, an Indian-made army helicopter with three people on board crashed in occupied Kashmir.
In July 2022, two pilots were killed when a MiG-21 crashed in a training sortie in Rajasthan.
#WATCH | Indian Air Force MiG-21 fighter aircraft crashed near Hanumangarh in Rajasthan. Two civilian women died and a man was injured in the incident, the pilot sustained minor injuries. pic.twitter.com/z4BZBsECVV
— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2023
This was the sixth MiG-21 aircraft crash since January 2021, with five pilots killed.
During the Cold War, Russian-made MiG-21 jets first entered Indian service in the 1960s and served as the backbone of the country’s air force for decades.
Also Read: An Indian Army Helicopter Crashes in Occupied Kashmir.
The planes have been dubbed “flying coffins” due to numerous crashes in recent decades.
In January, two Indian Air Force fighter jets collided in mid-air while training south of New Delhi, killing one pilot and injuring two others.
A Russian-built Sukhoi Su-30 and a French-built Mirage 2000 were involved. General Bipin Rawat, India’s defence chief, was one of 13 people killed when his Russian-made Mi-17 helicopter crashed while transporting him to an air force base in December 2021.
India is investing billions of dollars in military modernization, motivated by its decades-long rivalry with Pakistan and rising tensions with China.
It has also attempted to diversify away from Russia, purchasing dozens of French Rafale fighter jets.
New Delhi is also heavily investing in the development of its own defence industry. In February, India opened its largest helicopter manufacturing plant, months after unveiling its first indigenous aircraft carrier and firing a ballistic missile from its first domestic nuclear-powered submarine.
Simultaneously, it has attempted to sell more of its domestically produced hardware to other countries, particularly poorer countries unable to afford more expensive Western-made equipment.
