Bhopal: A twin-seater Indian Air Force (IAF) Mirage 2000 aircraft crashed in Madhya Pradesh’s Shivpuri while it was on a routine training sortie on Thursday.
Fortunately, the two pilots of the Mirage 2000 fighter plane were safe, and they were rushed to a nearby hospital for a medical checkup.
The IAF in a post on social media platform X said: “A Mirage 2000 aircraft of the IAF crashed near Shivpuri (Gwalior), during a routine training sortie, after encountering a system malfunction. Both the pilots ejected safely.”
An inquiry has been ordered by the IAF, to ascertain the cause of the accident.
A team of IAF officials have also arrived at the spot, according to Shivpuri district police.
The incident occurred at Karaira village in Shivpuri district, around 120 km from Gwalior where the IAF training centre is located.
The police said the incident occurred due to a snag in the aircraft.
After observing the malfunction, two pilots, who were flying aircraft, opened their parachutes and jumped out in time.
During the jump, one pilot suffered injuries.
Videos of the aftermath of the crash showed debris of the plane strewn in a field with hundreds of people gathered at the site.
Hearing the loud sound of a plane crash, villagers gathered.
However, local administration reached the spot immediately and cordoned off the area.
“A team was dispatched to the spot soon after receiving information. Both the pilots ejected safely, and no casualties were reported,” a police official said.
Notably, the multirole fighter jet Mirage 2000, built by France’s Dassault Aviation, flew for the first time in 1978. The French Air Force inducted it in 1984; 600 Mirage 2000 were produced, of which 50 per cent were exported to eight countries including India, according to data on the Dassault website.
(IANS)
