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IAF jets crash in MP's Morena; search, rescue ops on

Defence Minister briefed about the incident

jet crash Pilots being rescued from the crash site after a Su-30MKI and Mirage 2000 fighter planes crashed during an exercise, in Morena, MP | PTI

Two Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets--Sukhoi-30 and Mirage 2000—has reportedly crashed near Morena in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday. Search and rescue operations begun in the crash site.

"As per information received from Air Force, a Mirage 2000 and a Sukhoi 30 crashed near Manpur village of Pahargarh block. There were three pilots, two were injured but safe and were airlifted. While the search for the other pilot is on. It appears that both aircrafts crashed in the same place, but confirmation awaited from Air Force," Ankit Asthana, district collector, Morena told THE WEEK. 

According to sources, the aircrafts collided midair before the crash. 

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and president of MP Congress Committee and ex-chief minister Kamal Nath in their tweets expressed grief over the jets crash. 

According to Defence Ministry sources, “Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh was briefed by the Chief of Air Staff on the crash of two aircraft of the Indian Air Force. Raksha Mantri enquired about the well-being of the IAF pilots and is monitoring the developments closely.”

The two aircraft had taken off from the Gwalior air base in Madhya Pradesh where an exercise was going on, as per defence sources.

(More details awaited)

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