Lucknow, January 28: An Indian Air Force (IAF) Jaguar fighter plane crashed in Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh on Monday. According to reports, the plane had taken off from Gorakhpur Air Force Base. The pilot, however, managed to eject safely from the aircraft. The cause of the crash is yet to be ascertained. Further details are awaited. The IAF, in its statement, said that a court of inquiry has been ordered to investigate the accident. "Today morning, a Jaguar aircraft while on a routine mission from Gorakhpur, crashed. Pilot ejected safely", the IAF said.

RN Mishra, SP Kushinagar stated that there is a populated place nearby and the pilot landed the plane at a distance from that place using his tactical expertise. Mishra added saying that he saved the lives of others as well as his own.

Visuals from Kushinagar where the IAF plane crashed:

In November 2018, a trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district, resulting in minor injuries to the pilot. However, the trainee pilot was ejected safely. "A Kiran Aircraft which took off from Air Force Station in Hakimpet on a routine training mission crashed today morning. The trainee pilot ejected safely," the defence release said. IAF Aircraft Crash Lands in Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh, Pilot Safe.

In the same month, a training aircraft of the Hyderabad-based Rajiv Gandhi aviation academy crashed into an agriculture field in Mokila area. According to reports, the trainee pilot had suffered minor injuries in the crash. IAF Jaguar Fighter Crashes in Gujarat's Kutch, Pilot Dead.

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In October 2018, a two-seater IAF plane crashed in a field in Uttar Pradesh’s Bagpat district. Reports informed that the two pilots were safe. The incident took place when the ML-130 microlight plane had taken off from the Hindon airbase in Ghaziabad and was reportedly participating in a drill for Air Force Day.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 28, 2019 01:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).