The Indian Air Force’s Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet, which went missing after it lost radar contact after taking off from Jorhat in Assam on Thursday, crashed 60 km away in the hills of Karbi Anglong district, killing both pilots.
In a statement on the X Handle website, the Indian Air Force said the aircraft was on a training mission and identified the pilots as Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Durajkar. “All IAF personnel express their deepest condolences and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief,” the statement read.
The IAF said the fighter jet’s last contact with the control station was around 7.42pm on Thursday before it disappeared from radar, prompting a search and rescue operation.
Around the same time, a loud explosion-like sound was reported from a mountainous area near the Nilep complex in Karbi Anglong. Residents of nearby villages said the sound was heard on Thursday evening and echoed across the surrounding hills. Some reported seeing smoke rising from the direction of the hills shortly after the explosion.
Officials said the crash site is a remote area filled with dense forests, making the search difficult. On Friday, officials said that parts of the fighter plane were seen in the area, and human parts were recovered from the site.
Search and recovery operations continued in the area as teams worked to reach the exact crash site in the difficult hill terrain.
The Sukhoi-30MKI is one of the most advanced and versatile fighter aircraft in the Indian Air Force. It is a critical component of India’s frontline air defense capability. Developed through cooperation with Russia, the aircraft is designed for long-range missions and can perform air-to-air and air-to-surface combat roles.
Officials said that more details about the circumstances of the accident are expected after the investigation into the incident.
