India’s fighter aircraft crashes, pilot safe

By Ahmad Adil

CHANDIGARH, India (AA) - A MIG-21 fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in the northern Rajasthan state on Friday, the country’s Defense Ministry said.

"Today afternoon a MiG-21 aircraft on a routine mission crashed after getting airborne from Nal near Bikaner. Pilot of the aircraft ejected safely. Initial inputs suggest a bird hit. CoI [court of inquiry] will be investigating the cause of the accident," the Defence Ministry spokesman said in a Twitter post.

Last month, an Indian military chopper had crashed in Indian-administered Kashmir, killing all six people on board as well as one civilian on the ground.