An Indian Navy MIG trainer aircraft crashed outside a village in Goa on Saturday noon, a senior defence official said. Both the pilots ejected safely, said Indian Navy Flag Officer, Goa, Rear Admiral Philipose George Pynumootil. A major tragedy was averted as the pilot pointed the aircraft away from populated areas.
The officer said the aircraft was on a regular training sortie when the incident occurred. A villager said the aircraft crashed on a rocky plateau on the outskirts of Verna, 15 kms from the state capital, around noon. The wreckage of the aircraft lay strewn in one-km area, he said.
The aircraft is attached to INS Hansa located near Dabolim in Goa.
Taking to Twitter, the Indian Navy spokesperson said, “During a training mission, after take-off from INS Hansa at Dabolim a MIG29K trainer aircraft suffered an engine fire. The pilots Capt M Sheokhand and Lt Cdr Deepak Yadav ejected safely”.
The pilots were provided first-aid and shifted to hospital in Vasco.
The Indian Navy and the Goa Police have cordoned off the site of the mishap and are in the process of clearing the wreckage.
Indian Navy Mig-29K trainer aircraft crashes in Goa, 2 onboard pilots ejects safely
