New Delhi: The crash of the MiG-27 aircraft of the Indian Air Force in Jodhpur today has added to the long list of crashes involving MiG aircrafts.
Soviet-era MiG fighter aircrafts were originally built by Mikoyan design bureau in the Soviet Union and later license-produced in India by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL). The aircraft is one of the oldest in IAF's fleet of fighter jets and is known for its frequent crashes.
Since being inducted into IAF around four decades ago, the fighter jet has earned the names of 'flying coffin' and 'widow-maker'.
Read Also: MiG-27 fighter plane crashes into building in Jodhpur, pilot ejects safely
In 2012, then Defence Minister AK Antony had told the Rajya Sabha that over the last 40 years, India had lost more than half of its MiG combat fleet of 872 aircraft. The minister disclosed that '482 MiG aircraft accidents took place till April 19, 2012'.
Antony also revealed that these crashes led to the loss of precious lives of 171 pilots, 39 civilians and eight persons from other services. IAF’s MiG fleet included MiG-21, MiG-23MF, MiG-23BN, MiG-25, MiG-27 and MiG-29 but only MiG-21, MiG-27 and MiG-29 remain in service.
Here is a list of 9 recent crashes involving MiG aircrafts in India:
August 24, 2015: A MiG-21 Bison aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed near a village in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. The pilot managed to safely eject from the aircraft. No injuries were reported.
May 8, 2015: MiG-27 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in West Bengal’s Tantipara area. The aircraft crashed within ten minutes of taking off. This crash killed two civilians on the ground. The pilot, however, managed to eject safely.
January 31, 2015: A MiG-21 aircraft crashed west of Jamnagar city on into a mangrove forest. Pilot managed to eject before the crash and landed safely.
January 27, 2015: A MiG-27 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed in Barmer, Rajasthan but the pilot ejected safely.
May 27, 2014: A MIG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district in Kashmir. The pilot was killed in the crash.
November 8, 2013: A MiG-29 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed near Jamnagar minutes after it took off from an airbase for a routine flying training sortie. The pilot escaped safely.
July 15, 2013: A MiG-21 Bison fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed today while landing at Uttarlai airbase in Rajasthan’s Barmer district,killing the pilot.
June 7, 2013: A MiG-21 crashes in Rajasthan's Barmer district, with the pilot ejecting safely. The aircraft had taken off from the Uttarlai airbase and was on a routine sortie. It crashed 40 km from Barmer.
Feb 12, 2013: A MiG-27 aircraft crashes in Rajasthan's Barmer district but the pilot ejects safely. The aircraft was on a routine training sortie when it crashed near Allawani Ki Dhani after taking off from Uttarlai airbase.
