On Wednesday, an Indian Air Force Jaguar fighter jet crashed at a village near Jamnagar IAF station in Gujarat, killing one of the pilots. The incident happened during a routine sortie.
IAF pilot Siddharth Yadav reportedly made the ultimate sacrifice to save the lives of his co-pilot and several civilians.
"An IAF Jaguar two-seater aircraft airborne from Jamnagar airfield crashed during a night mission. The pilots faced a technical malfunction and initiated ejection, avoiding harm to the airfield and local population," the IAF said in a statement.
Media reports reveal that 28-year-old Yadav steered the aircraft away from a thickly populated area to avoid a major tragedy. He also saved the life of his fellow pilot, by safely ejecting him before the the final movement.
Hailing from Haryana's Rewari, from a family of military men, Yadav had joined National Defence Academy (NDA) course 135 in January 2016. According to his father, Yadav was a "brilliant student."
"The commanding air officer called last night at around 11 am and informed us about the incident that an aircraft has crashed, one pilot was rescued and another pilot, our son, had died. He was engaged on March 23," his father said.
"We had always been proud of him... My father and grandfather were in the army. I was also in the Air Force. I am very proud of him; he lost his life while saving a life."
Meanwhile, the IAF ordered an inquiry into a Jaguar fighter jet crash. "The IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident," the IAF said in a statement.