An Indian Air Force pilot tragically lost his life when a Jaguar fighter jet crashed near Bhanoda village in Rajasthan’s Churu district at 1:25 pm on Wednesday. The incident also resulted in injuries to two individuals, who are believed to be civilians. The crash site was promptly attended by Air Force helicopters dispatched to assist in the aftermath.

According to defense sources, the aircraft involved was a twin-seater Jaguar fighter jet. However, there has been no official confirmation regarding the condition of the second pilot. This unfortunate event marks the third Jaguar fighter jet crash this year. The first incident occurred on March 7 in Haryana’s Panchkula, followed by another crash near Jamnagar in Gujarat on April 2. The ill-fated aircraft had taken off from the Suratgarh Air Force base in Rajasthan.

The Jaguar is a twin-engine fighter-bomber available in both single and twin-seat configurations. Despite its vintage status, the Indian Air Force continues to operate these jets due to significant upgrades over the years. India currently maintains approximately 120 Jaguar fighter jets across six squadrons.

In the previous crash in Gujarat, one of the pilots, Siddharth Yadav, heroically sacrificed his life to save his co-pilot. The aircraft experienced a technical malfunction during a training mission and crashed into an open field at 9:30 pm. Yadav ensured his co-pilot ejected safely, sustaining only minor injuries. Tragically, Yadav could not escape in time and lost his life. His father, Sushil Yadav, expressed immense pride in his son’s bravery while mourning his loss.

The first Jaguar crash of the year involved a plane from Punjab’s Ambala Air Force base, which went down due to a system malfunction. The pilot managed to eject safely after steering the aircraft away from civilian areas.