The deceased pilots have been identified as Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar
KRC TIMES Assam Bureau
Guwahati : Two pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were killed after a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter aircraft crashed in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, officials confirmed on Friday.
The aircraft, which was on a routine training sortie, reportedly lost radar contact shortly after taking off from the Jorhat Air Force Station on Thursday evening. The jet is believed to have gone down near Nilip Block in Chokihola, a remote and forested area located about 60 kilometres from Jorhat.
The deceased pilots have been identified as Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar. The IAF expressed deep condolences to their families and paid tribute to the officers for their service.
Local residents in the area reported hearing a loud explosion at around 7 pm on Thursday. Witnesses said smoke was seen rising from the surrounding hills shortly afterward, prompting authorities to launch search and rescue operations.
The suspected crash site lies in a densely forested and hilly region, which has made access difficult for rescue teams. Personnel from the IAF and local authorities have been deployed to the area to locate the wreckage and assess the situation.
In a post on X, the Indian Air Force said it stands firmly with the families of the deceased pilots during this time of grief. Officials have not yet released further details regarding the cause of the crash.
The Sukhoi Su-30MKI is a twin-seat, long-range multirole fighter aircraft designed by Russia’s Sukhoi and manufactured under licence in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The aircraft forms a key component of the Indian Air Force’s combat fleet, with more than 260 such jets currently in service.
Over the years, however, the aircraft has been involved in a few accidents. Previous crashes involving the same fighter jet were reported near Nashik in Maharashtra in June 2024 and close to the Gwalior airbase in January 2023.
Authorities are expected to initiate a detailed investigation to determine the circumstances that led to the crash. Meanwhile, search teams continue operations in the remote terrain of Karbi Anglong to recover debris and gather evidence from the site.
