MIG-27 crashes, pilot seriously injured

Siliguri, Oct 19 (UNI) An MiG-27 crashed soon after take-off from the Hasimara Air Base in Jalpaiguri district this morning with the pilot sustaining severe injuries while ejecting.

The Indian Air Force aircraft was on a routine training flight when it crashed into a field and burst into flames. The accident occurred in Uttar Mazidkhana village under Alipurduar sub-division 25 minutes after take-off.

SDPO, Alipurduar, Bhaskar Mukherjee told UNI that Pilot K D Singh was taken to the Hasimara airbase hospital. Three other villagers were also injured in the incident, he added.

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

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