CHURU, July 9 — A twin-seater Jaguar fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed on Wednesday afternoon in Rajasthan’s Churu district, marking the third such accident involving the Jaguar fleet this year. The jet, a trainer variant, had taken off from the Suratgarh air base with two pilots onboard.
According to Kamlesh, Station House Officer of Rajaldesar, the aircraft came down around 1:25 pm in an agricultural field near Bhanoda village. “Human body parts were found at the crash site,” he said, indicating the crash was likely fatal for those aboard.
IAF helicopters and emergency response teams were rushed to the site soon after the incident. The IAF is expected to release an official statement on the status of the pilots and the cause of the crash.
This is the second fatal Jaguar crash in recent months. In April, a two-seater Jaguar crashed near Jamnagar during a night mission, killing one of the two pilots. At the time, the IAF had confirmed a technical malfunction led to the ejection, and despite efforts to steer the aircraft away from populated areas, one pilot succumbed to injuries.
Another Jaguar incident occurred in March, when a single-seater aircraft crashed near Ambala in Haryana due to a system malfunction. The pilot ejected safely after diverting the aircraft away from civilian zones.
The recurring crashes have raised questions over the aging Jaguar fleet’s operational safety. Developed in the 1970s, the aircraft has been a mainstay in the IAF’s deep strike and ground attack roles but is now nearing the end of its service life.
An inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of Wednesday’s crash.
