Fatal Incident in Rajasthan
A tragic event unfolded when an Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jet crashed close to Banoda village in the Churu district of Rajasthan, resulting in the deaths of both pilots aboard. The incident took place around 1:25 PM on Wednesday during a standard training exercise. The IAF confirmed the accident via a post on X, stating: “An IAF Jaguar Trainer aircraft encountered an accident during a routine training mission and crashed near Churu in Rajasthan today. Both pilots suffered fatal injuries in the incident. Fortunately, no civilian property was damaged... A court of inquiry has been established to investigate the cause of the crash.”
This incident marks the second crash within three months. In April, another two-seater Jaguar aircraft from the IAF crashed shortly after takeoff during a night mission from Jamnagar Airbase. The IAF attributed that accident to a technical malfunction during the flight. The pilots managed to steer the aircraft away from populated areas before ejecting. Unfortunately, pilot Siddharth Yadav succumbed to severe injuries sustained during ejection, while the other pilot was injured.
In March 2025, a similar mishap occurred when a fighter jet crashed during a routine training mission in Haryana's Panchkula district. The Air Force reported that the pilot encountered technical issues but successfully maneuvered the aircraft away from residential zones and ejected safely.
