IAF's Sukhoi jet crashes near Nashik, pilots safe

A Sukhoi Su-30MKI crashed on Wednesday near Nashik Maharashtra. Both pilots ejected safely.

Defence PRO in a press release said, "A Sukhoi Su-30MKI that crashed near Nashik, was an under-production aircraft of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)."

At least eight Sukhoi-30MKIs have crashed since they were inducted. The IAF has inducted around 240 of the 272 Sukhoi-30MKIs contracted from Russia for $12 billion, the bulk of them produced by HAL under licence.

Su-30MKI crashes:

• A Su-30MKI crashed on 30 April 2009 in the Pokhran region of Rajasthan, at Rajmathai village, around 170 km from Jaisalmer
• Su-30MKI crashed on 30 November 2009 in Jathegaon, about 40 km from Jaisalmer after a fire warning
• Su-30MKI crashed on 13 December 2011; both the pilots ejected safely. The aircraft had taken off from the Lohegaon Indian Air Force Base near Pune,
• Su-30MKI crashed at the Pokhran range during the rehearsal of the Iron Fist Exercise on 19 February 2013.
• On 14 October 2014, an IAF Su-30MKI on a training mission crashed 20 km off Pune Lohegaon Air Force Station.
• On 15 March 2017, a Su-30MKI crashed in Rajasthan's Barmer district, injuring three villagers. Both pilots ejected safely.
• On 23 May 2017, a Su-30MKI crashed approximately 60 km from Tezpur's Salanbari Air Force Station; the two crew members were killed.