MiG-27 crashes, inquiry ordered

Siliguri/Kolkata, Oct 19 (UNI) A MiG-27 aircraft of Indian Air Force crashed in a tea garden, 36 km off Hasimara airbase, in Darjeeling district of North Bengal here today.

''The incident occurred around 1017 hours when the aircraft got airborne from Hasimara airbase,'' Wing Commander R K Das told UNI in Kolkata.

''The aircraft was on a routine sortie when the incident occurred,'' he said.

Pilot K D Singh had ejected safely and has been taken to Binaguri hospital.

An inquiry had been ordered into the crash.

Official sources said two women tea garden workers received minor injuries and were also being treated.

This was the sixth combat aircraft lost by the IAF this year and the fifth accident involving a jet of the Russian-made MiG series.

In 2004, an MiG 21 had crashed after taking off from the Hasimara Air Base and the debris was located after five days from the Sukna forest.

EDS: Here pick up suitably from earlier series.

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