MiG 29K fighter aircraft crashes over sea off Goa coast; pilot ejects safely

New Delhi, Oct 12: A MiG 29K fighter aircraft on a routine sortie crashed over the sea off the Goa coast after it developed a technical malfunction while returning to base, said the Indian Navy on Wednesday.

The pilot ejected safely and was recovered in a rescue operation. The pilot is reported to be in stable condition.

A Board of Inquiry (BoI) was ordered to investigate the cause of the incident.

Since 2019, it has been the fourth accident of MiG 29k aircraft which is fitted with the Russian-built K-36D-3.5 ejection seat, considered the most sophisticated in the world.

Another aircraft crash happened in November 2020 in which a fighter pilot died and one was rescued.

This year in February another MiG 29k crashed when it was hit by birds. Both pilots had steered the jet away from habitation before ejecting.

The aircraft also crashed in November 2019 outside a village in Goa in which both the pilots had ejected safely.