Indian Jaguar fighter crashes in Kutch, pilot ejects safely

Jaguar Aircraft of the Indian Air Force has crashed near the Bibber village in the Kutch region of Gujarat on Friday, according to information from the police officials.

“A Jaguar fighter jet, which had taken off from Bhuj airbase for a routine sortie crashed near Bibber village, which is 30 km from the base,” an IAF official said.

Reports have suggested that the pilot of the aircraft has ejected safely before the crash. The pilot reportedly ejected at the Loria village, situated 22km from the city of Bhuj. The site where the plane has crashed in Bibber village is located about 31 km from Bhuj, officials said.

A similar incident had been reported earlier this year in January, when a Jaguar aircraft had crashed in the Bholasar village of the Bikaner district of Rajasthan.

An official press release from the Defence Ministry has said that the crash must have presumably taken place at 12.06 p.m., about 30 km from Bhuj. The release further mentioned that the pilot, airborne from Bhuj at about 11.40am, had been on a flying mission ejected and there has been no reported damage on the ground.

The press release has also revealed that a court of inquiry has been ordered to investigate the accident.