New Delhi: A young Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot, Flight Lieutenant Manu Akhouri, Danapur, was killed on Thursday when a MiG 21 fighter aircraft crashed about 20 km from Bhatinda airbase in Muktsar district in Punjab. He was the only son of Col (Retired) Sanjay Akhouri of JOB Sub Area station headquarters, Hindustan Times reported.
He had taken off from the Bhatinda airbase on a routine training sortie and was returning to the base for landing when the mishap occurred, an IAF official informed the bereaved family, the report added.
This is the eighth IAF plane crash this year and Akhouri is the fifth fighter pilot to die in an air mishap and the third MiG-21 crash this year. A court of inquiry has been ordered into the mishap, the IAF official said. Senior officials of IAF, police and officials of Muktsar civil administration have rushed to the spot, HT reported.
The incident occurred at Bhisiana village on Muktsar-Bhatinda road at 14:17 IST, the family members of Akhouri were quoted as saying.
Soon after getting the news, a pall of gloom descended the official quarter of Col Akhouri. Senior army officials of Sub Area, Bihar Regimental Centre and Zonal Recruiting Ofice rushed to express condolence to the brave pilot’s family. His body will arrive at Bihta Airbase Station on Friday from where that would be brought to his family.
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