IAF Plane Crashes in Rajasthan’s Churu; One Pilot Dead

Churu: A twin-seater Jaguar trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in Rajasthan’s Churu district on Wednesday afternoon, official sources said.

The fighter jet, which had taken off from Suratgarh air base, went down in an agricultural field near Bhanoda village around 1.25 pm, according to local authorities.

Kamlesh, Station House Officer (SHO) of Rajaldesar, confirmed that human body parts were recovered from the crash site, indicating potential fatalities. “We are coordinating with defence officials and rescue personnel. More details will follow as the investigation progresses,” he said.

This incident marks the third crash involving a Jaguar aircraft in 2025, raising concerns about the fleet’s operational safety.

In April, a twin-seater Jaguar aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from Jamnagar Airfield during a night mission. The IAF later reported that the pilots had encountered a technical malfunction mid-flight and ejected to avoid further risk. Squadron Leader Siddharth Yadav tragically succumbed to injuries sustained during the ejection, while the second pilot survived with injuries.

A month earlier, in March, another Jaguar crashed near Ambala, Haryana during a training sortie. The pilot safely ejected, and no casualties were reported. The IAF had stated that the pilot steered the aircraft away from populated areas before ejecting, avoiding damage to civilian life and property.

The Jaguar is a twin-engine, ground-attack fighter-bomber, available in single and twin-seat variants.

Despite its vintage status, these planes are widely used by the IAF and have been heavily upgraded over the years.