Missing Sukhoi-30 Crashes in Assam’s Karbi Anglong Hills, Two IAF Pilots Killed

The Indian Air Force (IAF) Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft that last made radar contact once it had taken off in Assam at Jorhat on Thursday crashed 60 km in the hills of Karbi Anglong district, killing both pilots.

The IAF in a statement on X handle reported that the plane was on training and that the pilots were Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar.“All personnel of the IAF express sincere condolences and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief,” the statement said.

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The fighter jet, the IAF said was in the last communication with the control station at about 7.42pm on Thursday before it lost contact with radar, leading to a search and rescue mission.

A little later at approximately the same time, there was loud explosion like sound in a hilly place near Nilip block in Karbi Anglong. The inhabitants of the neighboring villages reported that they heard the noise on Thursday evening and heard it resounding in the neighboring hills. Other people reported seeing smoke emanating in the direction of hills soon after the blast.

The officials reported that it was a remote and heavily forested location where the crash occurred thus causing a hard task in the search operation. On Friday, the authorities reported that evidence of the fighter jet was observed in the vicinity and body parts of human bodies were recovered.

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The search and recovery efforts in the region were going on with the teams struggling to reach the exact crash point in the tough terrain of the hills.

Sukhoi 30MKI is a versatile fighter aircraft that is among the most advanced fighter aircrafts that is owned by the IAF. It forms an important part of the air defence of India. The aircraft is developed in cooperation with Russia and is to be used on the long missions and be able to fulfill both the air-to-air and air-to-ground combat functions.

Authorities indicated that more information on the events of the accident will be given after an inquiry is conducted on the incident.

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