MiG-23 crashes near Jodhpur, none hurt

On a day when the bodies of two Indian Air Force (IAF) officers and an Indian Reserve Batallion jawan were recovered from the spot where a helicopter crashed two days ago during flood rescue sorties, a MiG-23 trainer aircraft crashed in an open area near the Jodhpur-Jaisalmer highway on Thursday. The two pilots ejected safely but the IAF will initiate a court of inquiry.

The fourth air force officer who was on board the chopper has still not been traced.

Sources said the MiG-23 aircraft was on a routine sortie when the engine of the plane caught fire due to a certain technical snag.

As the pilots were quick to react and ensured that the plane did not crash-land in a populated area, there was was no loss of life or damage to property.

"The plane crashed in an open field after catching fire. The entire field was strewn with debris," said Commanding Officer, Balesar, Ajeet Singh, adding that no loss of life was reported.

The air force lost two pilots, Squadron Leader D Pankaj and Flight Lieutenant S Achudev, as their two-seater Su-30 MKI jet lost radar and radio contact with the controlling station in May. They had taken off from the Tezpur Salonibari air force station on a routine sortie as part of a two-aircraft formation.