MiG-21 crashes in West Bengal, search launched for pilot

SILIGURI: A MiG-21 jet of the Indian Air Force on Thursday crashed near Kurseong in West Bengal's Darjeeling district and authorities have launched a search for the pilot who is traceless.

Air Commodore Chandramouli in Bagdogra airbase said that the jet took off for a practice flight at around 1 pm with Squadron Leader Pandey piloting it.

It broke into pieces in flight between Norbong tea estate and Shibkhola in Kurseong sub-division immediately afterwards and crashed, Chandramouli said.

The aircraft's wreckage was spread over the slopes of hills in the area, he said.

An IAF team rushed to the spot but had not yet traced Pandey. The search operation was on, Chandramouli said.

Darjeeling's Superintendent of Police Rajesh Subarna said police were cooperating with the IAF in the search operation.

This was the first MiG-21 jet lost by the IAF in nearly a year. The last accident involving one of the ageing Russian jets had occurred on March 21 last year.