A MiG-29K combat jet of the Indian Navy crashed in the Arabian Sea on Wednesday, but the pilot ejected safely and was rescued by a Navy team.
“A MiG-29K on a routine sortie over sea off Goa developed a technical malfunction while returning to base. The pilot ejected safely and has been recovered in a swift search and rescue operation,” an Indian Navy spokesperson said. The pilot is in stable condition.
A Board of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the incident.
This is the fourth crash of the naval fighter jets in the last two years. The last such accident took place in November 2020 when a two-seater trainer version of the fighter jet went down after taking off from the deck of aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.
New Delhi purchased 45 such fighters from Russia at a cost of Rs 10,409 crore more than a decade ago and the first MiG-29K squadron was commissioned in Goa in August, 2013.
However, in a 2016 report, the Comptroller and Auditor General pointed out the MiG29K fighter jets had operational deficiencies due to defects in engines, airframe and fly-by-wire. Further, the aircraft continues to suffer from low serviceability.
In a few weeks, MiG-29K would also operate from the home grown aircraft carrier INS Vikrant till the Indian Navy finds an alternative.