Two pilots of the Indian Air Force were killed after a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter aircraft crashed in the Karbi Anglong district, the IAF confirmed on Friday.
“IAF acknowledges the loss of Sqn Ldr Anuj and Flt Lt Purvesh Duragkar, who sustained fatal injuries in the Su-30 crash. All personnel of the IAF express sincere condolences, and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief,” the Air Force said.
According to IAF, the two-seater fighter jet was on a routine training mission when it crashed in a hilly area of Karbi Anglong, about 60 km from Jorhat. The aircraft had taken off from Jorhat and lost radar contact at around 7:42 pm on Thursday.
Earlier, the Air Force had reported the aircraft as “overdue” and initiated a search and rescue operation. Teams from the IAF, along with personnel from the local administration and other security agencies, were mobilised to locate the aircraft and verify the circumstances surrounding the incident.
(With agency inputs)
