Indian fighter jet crash in Rajasthan leaves two pilots dead

An Indian air force jet crashed in the western state of Rajasthan on Wednesday, killing both pilots, officials said.

The Indian air force said in a statement on X that the trainer aircraft was on a routine training mission.

The accident occurred near Churu in Rajasthan state. The air force did not identify the aircraft.

Minutes after the incident, social media was flooded with footage claiming that the pilots had died.

"Both pilots sustained fatal injuries in the accident," said the IAF and clarified that "No damage to any civil property has been reported." "IAF deeply regrets the loss of lives and stands firmly with the bereaved families in this time of grief," the IAF said on X.

The IAF also said that a court of inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.

A military pilot familiar with the crash said it involved a two-seater Jaguar fighter jet. The pilot spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorised to speak to the media.

Images from the crash site showed debris of the aircraft scattered around an agriculture field.

Wednesday’s crash is the latest in a string of accidents involving India’s air force. At least three two Jaguars and one Mirage 2000 had crashed this year while on routine training.

This is the third Jaguar fighter jet crash in India this year. Previous incidents occurred on March 7 in Panchkula, Haryana, and on April 2 near Jamnagar, Gujarat.

The Jaguar is a twin-engine fighter bomber, available in single and twin-seat variants, and is widely used by the IAF. First inducted in the late 1970s, it has undergone significant upgrades over the years.

Associated Press / IANS