India's indigenous Tejas fighter jet crashed on Tuesday near a hostel complex in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer. While the pilot safely ejected from the aircraft, the jet was engulfed in flames. The Indian Air Force has initiated a court of inquiry.
A video capturing the moment of the pilot ejecting from the jet depicted the fighter aircraft gliding at a low altitude. The jet moved from right to left within the camera frame as the pilot deployed the parachute and descended towards the ground.
Subsequently, the unmanned Tejas lost altitude and crashed on the grounds of the student hostel a few meters away. A white parachute was observed descending alongside it.
How do pilots eject?
When pilots activate the ejection seat, explosives located beneath the seat rupture the canopy of the fighter jet and propel the pilot into the air. Rocket mechanisms situated below the seat guide the pilot safely in a predetermined direction, followed by the deployment of parachutes. The ejection process subjects pilots to high g-forces, reaching levels up to 20 times the force experienced on the earth's surface, potentially resulting in severe injuries and disqualifying them from further flight duties.
Tejas crash in Jaisalmer
The aircraft was reportedly undergoing a training sortie when it suddenly crashed near the Jawahar Colony area in Jaisalmer. Local police and administration officials rushed to the spot immediately.
The Indian Air Force shared a statement giving information on the crash. "One Tejas aircraft of the Indian Air Force met with an accident at Jaisalmer, today during an operational training sortie. The pilot ejected safely. A Court of Inquiry has been constituted to find out the cause of the accident," said the Air Force in a statement.
A hostel belonging to the Bhil community has collapsed near Deadansar in Jaisalmer. There were no students present in the hostel at the time of the incident.
Senior officials reach crash site
Senior officials including UIT Secretary Jitendra Singh Naruka, Commissioner Lajpal Singh Sodha, along with police and administrative officers, have reached the scene.
Jaisalmer Collector Pratap Singh told the BBC News, "As soon as information about the incident was received, the police and administration were immediately dispatched to the scene. The fire caused by the incident has been brought under control. We are awaiting further information."
Today, a war exercise involving all three military branches, named 'Bharat Shakti', is underway in Pokhran. It remains unconfirmed whether this aircraft was part of the exercise or not.
