Two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots were killed when their Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter jet crashed in Assam's Karbi Anglong district last night.
The Air Force identified the pilots as Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar."All IAF personnel express heartfelt condolences and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief," the Air Force wrote on X.
The Su-30 MKI was on a training mission and went missing shortly after taking off from Jorhat airbase, approximately 60 kilometres from where it crashed.
Communication with the Russian-origin aircraft was lost at 7:42 p.m., officials added.It allegedly crashed in a remote hilly location. Local locals reported hearing a big explosion from a hill. They also reported they saw a ball of fire.
Rajnath Singh Discusses the Sukhoi Su-30 Crash
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed "deep sadness" over the loss of two pilots in the "tragic" disaster."Their courage and service to the nation will be remembered with pride and gratitude," he wrote on X.
Singh stated that the entire nation is with them during this difficult time.
Sukhoi Su-30MKI Fighter Jets
Sukhoi, a Russian aircraft company, designed the Su-30 MKI, a two-seat long-range fighter jet.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a state-run aerospace company, is presently building it for the IAF under licence.The aircraft was initially accepted into the IAF in 1997.The IAF has a fleet of more than 260 Su-30 MKI planes.A Sukhoi fighter jet crashed in Maharashtra's Nashik in June 2024. In January 2023, a Sukhoi-30 jet crashed after taking off from the Gwalior airbase in Madhya Pradesh.