An Indian Air Force aircraft called Tejas crashed into a student hostel in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan during a training flight. Luckily, the pilot ejected safely, and no one on the ground was injured.
This is the first time the fighter plane has crashed since its test flight in 2001. The Indian Air Force got the plane in 2016.
The crash happened around 2 pm near Lakshmi Chand Sanwal Colony. The pilot ejected safely, and an inquiry has been launched to find out why it crashed.
The aircraft caught fire after the crash, but the fire has been put out. It’s not clear if the plane was involved in any war activities in Rajasthan.
A witness said they saw the pilot eject and then heard a loud explosion when the plane crashed.
The Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force use the Tejas fighter aircraft. It’s a lightweight plane capable of close combat and supporting ground operations.
The Tejas is made of composite materials, making it very light and small compared to other planes in its class.
The first squadron to receive the Tejas was the “Flying Daggers” in 2016. The second squadron, No 18 Squadron, got the Tejas in 2020.
The Indian Air Force already flies 40 Tejas MK-1 aircraft and is expecting to get 83 more Tejas MK-1A fighters under a contract worth over ₹ 36,000 crore.
