Two Indian Air Force fighter jets, a Sukhoi 30 and a Mirage 2000, crashed near Morena in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday morning. While initial reports hinted at the possibility of a mid-air collision, there has been no official confirmation.
An official word is also awaited on the status of the pilots and what led to the crash. Search and rescue operations are currently underway.
The incident took place at 5.30 am. The aircraft reportedly took off from the Gwalior air base and initial reports suggested that they were on a training exercise.
A Court of Inquiry will establish the exact reason for the accident.
Meanwhile, defence sources said that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was briefed by IAF chief Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari on the crash of the two aircraft. They said the defence minister is monitoring the developments closely.
In December 2021, the government had told Parliament that seven IAF aircraft had crashed in two years prior to it.
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