Suratgarh, January 5: The Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) MiG-21 Bison fighter crashed during a training session on Tuesday. The tragic incident took place near Suratgarh in Rajasthan. The pilot of the aircraft managed to eject safely. The exact cause of the incident is still not known. IAF MiG-29 Fighter Aircraft Crashes in Hoshiarpur, Punjab; Pilot Ejects Safely.

A court of inquiry has been ordered to probe the accident. The IAF tweeted, “During a training sortie in the western sector, a MiG-21 Bison aircraft experienced a major technical malfunction this evening. The pilot ejected safely at about 2015 hrs. There is no loss of life. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.” Rafale Jet Crashed Near Ambala Airbase? PIB Fact Check Debunks Fake 'IAF Tweet' Going Viral on Social Media.

Tweet by IAF:

Notably, in 2019, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman shot down Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 aircraft with a MiG-21 Bison. The aircraft is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. MiG-21 Bison will be retiring from the force in 2021-22.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 05, 2021 10:03 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).