NEW DELHI—The Indian Air Force said on Monday that three persons were killed after a fighter jet crashed through the roof of a home in a hamlet in the northern border state of Rajasthan.
The single-seater MiG-21 crashed after the pilot evacuated due to an onboard problem, according to a statement from the Indian Air Force.
“The aircraft wreckage fell on a house in Bahlol Nagar in Hanumangarh District, unfortunately leading to the loss of three lives,” it said.
The air force said that the pilot safely evacuated and suffered just minor wounds in the process. They also stated that a court of inquiry had been established to look into the accident's root cause.
According to local media, India has plans to retire its complete inventory of fighter jets from the Soviet period by 2025.
Since its introduction in 1963, the MiG-21, sometimes known as "the flying coffin" by the Indian media, has served as the main fighter jet for that nation. However, crashes have been an increasing problem in recent years.
