Two Air Force planes on training mission crash in Madhya Pradesh, one killed

Two Indian Air Force fighter jets that took off from the Gwalior air base crashed separately in Rajasthan's Bharatpur and Madhya Pradesh's Morena on Saturday morning, killing one pilot. Sources said there is a possibility that there was a mid-air collision between the Mirage 2000 and the Sukhoi 30 (Su-30 MKI) but there is no official confirmation on the same. The IAF said that the Court of Inquiry would establish the exact cause.

The slain pilot has been identified as Wing Commander Hanumant Rao Sarathi. He was in the Mirage 2000 jet that crashed in Morena. Two pilots in the Su-30 MKI that crashed in Bharatpur have managed to eject safely.

The Indian Air Force tweeted, "Two fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed near Gwalior this morning. The aircraft were on a routine operational flying training mission. One of the three pilots suffered critical injuries. Investigation into the cause of the accident is underway." An inquiry has been ordered."