Pilot dies as IAF Jaguar fighter jet crashes in Gujarat
New Delhi, June 5
A senior Indian Air Force officer was killed in an air crash near Jamnagar in Gujarat on Tuesday morning.
A Jaguar fighter jet crashed, killing the pilot, Air Commodore Sanjai Chauhan. The crash took place at 9.45 am, IAF officials said.
The officer was the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) of the IAF’s Jamnagar base. The base has a role in maritime security. The AOC was on low-level flying mission over the Kutch.
The rank of Air Commodore is equal to Brigadier in the Army. A junior pilot of his base was flying right behind Air Commodore Chauhan in formation flying.
A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the accident. The IAF said the Jaguar fighter aircraft was on a routine training mission.
Commissioned in the fighter stream of the IAF on December 16, 1989, Air Commodore Chauhan was a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) and Experimental Test Pilot with over 3,800 hours of service flying, officials said.
He had flown 17 types of aircraft of the IAF and had the unique experience of flying modern foreign fighter jets such as Rafale, Gripen and Euro Fighter, officials said. He was awarded the Vayu Sena Medal in 2010.
“During his service, Chauhan held several important posts such as the Commanding Officer of the Test Pilots’ School. He also commanded a fighter squadron of the IAF,” said one of the officials. — TNS/PTI
