Rescue teams search for missing pilot after Indian military aircraft crashes into sea

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The Indian military has launched a huge search for a young pilot who went missing after an air navy plane crashed into the sea.

The MiG-29K trainer aircrraft went down while flying over the Arabian Sea at 5pm local time (11.30am GMT) on Thursday. One pilot was rescued but the other remains missing, the navy said on Friday.

“One pilot ejected safely. Search by air and surface units is in progress for the second pilot. An inquiry has been ordered to investigate the incident,” added the Indian army in statement.

People took to social media wishing for the safe return of the pilot Cdr Nishant Singh.

This is the third accident this year involving a MiG-29K. Two of the twin-engine Russian-made aircraft crashed earlier this month and in February, both in Goa. The pilots were safely ejected in both the crashes.  

The Indian Navy purchased a fleet of 29 MiG-29K fighter aircraft from Russia in 2009. The aircraft operate from the naval air station of INS Hansa, INS Dega and INS Vikramaditya.  

The warship Vikramaditya had been part of the four-nation Malabar exercise 2020 on the west coast of India, with a group of four MiG-29K involved.