Su-30MKI fighter jet crash: Indian Air Force confirms death of both pilots after jet lost contact post takeoff

Indian Air Force announced the death of of Sqn Ldr Anuj and Flt Lt Purvesh Duragkar, who sustained fatal injuries after a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet crashed in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district on Thursday evening. The aircraft had taken off from the Jorhat Air Force Station for a routine training sortie before the incident occurred.

According to officials, the aircraft lost contact with ground control shortly after take-off, raising immediate concern within the Air Force. Communication with the jet was last recorded at around 7:42 pm, after which it went off radar.

Search and rescue teams were quickly deployed to the region after the aircraft disappeared from radar. Defence officials said the crash occurred in the Karbi Anglong area, roughly 60 kilometres from Jorhat.

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Authorities combed through the forested terrain in the district to locate the pilots and determine the circumstances behind the crash.

Local residents reportedly heard a loud explosion around the time the aircraft vanished, though authorities are still verifying these accounts as part of the investigation.

One of IAF’s most advanced fighter jets

The Su-30MKI is one of the Indian Air Force’s most capable fighter aircraft and forms the backbone of India’s combat fleet. The twin-seat multirole jet, developed by Russia’s Sukhoi and produced in India under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is designed for long-range missions and can carry a wide range of advanced weapons and missiles.