A Jaguar fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in a farm field around Banoda village of Rajasthan’s Churu district at about 1:25 PM on Wednesday. The site of the accident, around Rajaldesar town, saw rapid action from local police and emergency personnel.
“The aircraft crashed in an agriculture field in Bhanoda village around 1.25 pm,” verified Rajaldesar police station SHO Kamlessh to PTI.
Witnesses reportedly found human body parts scattered around the crash area, raising fears that the pilots on board perished on impact. Authorities have initiated official search and rescue efforts and will release more information once they finalize the investigations.
Series of IAF Crashes in Recent Months
The Churu crash is the latest in a concerning series of IAF plane accidents reported throughout the country in recent months.
April 2025: Jaguar Jet Crash in Gujarat
In April, a two-seater Jaguar plane crashed soon after it took off from the Jamnagar Airfield while on a night training mission. The IAF reported that a technical glitch took place in mid-air, making the pilots eject. Sadly, one of the pilots, Siddharth Yadav, died due to the injuries caused during the ejection, and the other suffered injuries but managed to live.
March 2025: Fighter Jet Crash in Panchkula
In March, one IAF fighter aircraft crashed in the Haryana’s Panchkula district while carrying out a training flight. The pilot faced a system malfunction and guided the plane away from residential areas before safely ejecting.
The pilot steered the plane away from any population on the ground before safely ejecting. An investigation has been commissioned by the IAF to determine the reason behind the accident,” the IAF stated in a release.
February 2025: Mirage 2000 Crash in Madhya Pradesh
In February, a twin-seater Mirage 2000 aircraft had a crash near Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, while on a training mission. Both pilots ejected safely before the plane crashed.
November 2024: MiG-29 Crash in Uttar Pradesh
A MiG-29 fighter jet had crashed earlier in November 2024 near Agra following a technical failure while on a training sortie. The pilot ejected safely prior to the crash.
Authorities have sealed the region and begun an investigation into the cause of the Churu crash. IAF officials are expected to release a detailed statement on the initial assessments.