IAF MiG-21 plane crash: Wing Commander Harshit Sinha dead

Jaipur/New Delhi, Dec 24: A MiG-21 plane of the Indian Air Force crashed in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer Friday night during a training sortie and the pilot was killed. The pilot killed in action was Wing Commander Harshit Sinha, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said.

The plane crashed in the Desert National Park area under the Sam police station, Jaisalmer SP Ajay Singh told PTI. The SP said local police reached the spot. The IAF said on Twitter, "This evening, around 8.30 pm, a MiG-21 aircraft of IAF met with a flying accident in the western sector during a training sortie." It added that an inquiry "is being ordered".

"With deep sorrow, IAF conveys the sad demise of Wing Commander Harshit Sinha in the flying accident this evening and stands firmly with the family of the braveheart," it stated.

Sam police station SHO Dalpat Singh said the plane crashed in sand dunes near Sudasari. Meanwhile, an eyewitness, who lives in a hamlet near the Desert National Park, said he saw the plane burst into flames.

He claimed the plane caught fire before hitting the ground. Jaisalmer collector Ashish Modi and Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh reached the spot. PTI

The incident has occurred at a time when people are yet to recover from the December 8 chopper tragedy in Conoor in Tamil Nadu. It killed 14 including Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat and his wife Dr Madhulika Rawat.