IAF Fighter Jet Crashes in Rajasthan’s Churu, Both Pilots Dead, Probe Ordered

An Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft crashed near Banoda village in Rajasthan's Churu district at approximately 1:25 pm on Wednesday, local police officials confirmed.

IAF took Twitter to confirm the deaths of both pilots and shared condolences over the loss of lives.

The crash occurred in an agricultural field, according to Kamlesh, Station House Officer (SHO) of Rajaldesar, who spoke to PTI. Emergency services and Air Force personnel were dispatched to the site shortly after the incident.

Media reports suggested the human remains were found in the surrounding of the crash site.

UPDATED: Past Incidents Involving IAF Aircraft

This is the latest in a series of recent air incidents involving Indian Air Force jets:

April 2025: A two-seater Jaguar aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Jamnagar Airfield during a night mission. According to the IAF, a technical issue occurred mid-flight. One of the pilots, Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav, sustained fatal injuries. The other pilot survived with injuries.

March 2025: A fighter jet went down in Panchkula district, Haryana, during a routine training sortie. The IAF reported a system malfunction, and the pilot successfully ejected after steering the aircraft away from residential areas.

February 2025: A Mirage 2000 twin-seater aircraft crashed near Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, during a training flight. Both pilots ejected safely.

November 2024: A MiG-29 fighter jet crashed near Agra, Uttar Pradesh, during a sortie. The IAF cited a technical fault, and the pilot managed to eject without injury.

Official Inquiry Expected

As with all such incidents, the Indian Air Force is expected to conduct a detailed inquiry to determine the cause of Wednesday's crash. Further updates are awaited from the IAF and other relevant authorities.