India's MiG-21 jet fleet grounded for checks after Rajasthan crash

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force has grounded the entire fleet of MiG-21 to investigate what caused the crash over Rajasthan earlier this month. The fighter aircraft will undergo checks and remain inactive till then.

"The MiG-21 fleet has been grounded till the investigations are carried out and reasons for the crash are ascertained," said senior officials to ANI.

On May 8, three women died after a MiG-21 Bison aircraft crashed over Hanumangarh. Three others were reportedly injured. It had taken off from the Suratgarh air base and was on a routine training sortie. The pilot suffered minor injuries.

Officials said that there are only three MiG-21 squadrons operating in the IAF and all of them are going to be phased out by the early part of 2025. The IAF has 31 combat aircraft squadrons including three of the MiG-21 Bison variant. They were inducted into the IAF in the 1960s.

Many of them have met with accidents in recent times and the crash rate of MiG-21 has been a concern. They have been called "flying coffin" and "widowmaker"

"A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed today morning at about 0945 hours. The aircraft had got airborne for a routine operational training sortie from the Air Force Station at Suratgarh. Soon thereafter, the pilot experienced an onboard emergency, following which he attempted to recover the aircraft as per existing procedures. Having failed to do so, he initiated an ejection, sustaining minor injuries in the process. The pilot was recovered from about 25 kilometres North East of the Suratgarh base. The aircraft wreckage fell on a house in Bahlol Nagar in Hanumangarh district, unfortunately leading to the loss of three lives," said IAF after the crash.