Guwahati, March 5: A Sukhoi SU-30MKI fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has gone missing. The aircraft lost radar contact while flying over the Karbi Anglong district of Assam on Thursday, according to defense officials.
According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO), the fighter jet disappeared from radar during a routine mission, prompting an immediate response from the Air Force and other security agencies.
The PRO stated, “The IAF’s Sukhoi-30 aircraft has lost radar contact. Teams from the Air Force have been dispatched to ascertain the facts and verify the situation.”
Initial reports indicate that the aircraft was flying over hilly terrain in the Karbi Anglong district when communication with ground control was suddenly lost.
Search and rescue teams from the Air Force, along with local administration and other security agencies, are engaged in locating the aircraft and verifying the circumstances of the incident.
Officials mentioned that further information regarding the aircraft’s last known location and the number of personnel onboard is still being determined.
Sources within the defense establishment noted that the area where radar contact was lost is predominantly dense forest and hilly, making search and rescue operations particularly challenging. Rescue teams are collaborating with local administration and other security forces to conduct operations in the area.
The Sukhoi-30MKI is one of the Indian Air Force’s frontline multi-role fighter aircraft and is a crucial component of India’s overall air defense capability.
Authorities confirmed that the search operation is ongoing, and more information will be provided as the situation develops.
The Indian Air Force posted on its official ‘X’ handle, stating, “An IAF Sukhoi SU-30 MKI is reported missing. The aircraft took off from Jorhat, Assam, and last made contact at 7:42 PM. Further details are being ascertained. A search and rescue mission has been initiated.”
Incidents involving Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft have occurred in the past. In August 2019, an IAF Sukhoi-30MKI crashed into a rice field near Tezpur, Assam, during a routine training mission. Both pilots managed to eject safely and were later rescued.
Previously, in May 2015, another Sukhoi-30MKI crashed shortly after takeoff from Tezpur Air Force Base, approximately 36 km south, with both pilots ejecting safely before the crash.
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