MiG-21 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in Jaisalmer on Friday (December 24). The Pilot of the aircraft, Wing Commander Harshit Sinha lost his life on the spot.
“With deep sorrow, IAF conveys the sad demise of Wing Commander Harshit Sinha in the flying accident this evening and stands firmly with the family of the braveheart”
IAF on Twitter
Earlier in another tweet, the IAF stated, “This evening, around 8:30 pm, a MiG-21 aircraft of IAF met with a flying accident in the western sector during a training sortie. Further details are awaited. An inquiry is being ordered.”
The plane crashed in the Desert National Park area under the Sam police station, Jaisalmer SP Ajay Singh.
The SP said local police reached the spot. Sam police station SHO Dalpat Singh said the plane crashed in sand dunes near Sudasari.
Meanwhile, an eyewitness, who lives in a hamlet near the Desert National Park, said he saw the plane burst into flames. He claimed the plane caught fire before hitting the ground.
Indian MiG-21 are now nothing more than the flying coffin. Earlier in 2019, Vir Chakra holder Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was also shot down in an aerial dogfight by Pakistan’s Air Force when he was flying MiG-21 during the standoff between both countries.