An Indian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet went missing from radar in Assam on Thursday evening. The incident has started a search operation and raised worries about the pilot’s safety. Officials said the aircraft lost contact while it was flying over the northeastern region.
According to the Defence Public Relations Officer (PRO) in Guwahati, the fighter jet suddenly disappeared from radar during the flight. After this, the Indian Air Force quickly started efforts to find the aircraft. The official said that an IAF team has already been sent to the area to find out what exactly happened.
Reports say the aircraft had taken off from Jorhat in Assam before it lost radar contact. Soon after the news came out, search operations began to trace the jet and the pilot on board. So far, authorities have not confirmed what caused the incident
Villagers Heard Loud Blast
Local reports from Assam say the fighter jet may have gone down in a remote and hilly area of Karbi Anglong district. The suspected crash site is believed to be near the Nilip area under Chokihola. People living in nearby villages said they heard a loud explosion-like sound in the evening. The sound echoed across the hills and created panic among villagers.
Several villagers said they came out of their homes after hearing the loud blast. Some locals also said they saw smoke rising from the direction of the hills soon after the sound. However, the area is very difficult to reach and covered with dense terrain. Due to this no one could immediately reach the exact spot where the aircraft may have gone down.
Officials have not yet given a statement about the pilot or confirmed whether the aircraft has crashed. Defence authorities said teams are still trying to gather more information and locate the aircraft as quickly as possible.
