New Delhi (Sputnik): A day after a jet was hit by several birds moments after take-off, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has released the video of the incident on Friday showing how the alert pilot averted a major tragedy and loss of life.
The incident occurred on Thursday morning when a deep penetration Jaguar strike fighter jet crashed into a number of birds. The video released by the IAF shows that a flock of birds hit the plane soon after the jet took off from the Ambala Air Base near Pakistan's border. The jet was set to take part in a training sortie.
#SavingLives: On the morning of 27 June19, an IAF Jaguar aircraft loaded with two additional fuel drop tanks & Carrier Bomb Light Stores
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) June 28, 2019
(CBLS) pods took off from AFS Ambala for a training
mission. Immediately after take off, the aircraft encountered a flock of
birds. pic.twitter.com/Mb0otqadVe
"The bird hit resulted in the failure of one of its engines. Despite most serious emergencies staring in his face, the young pilot assessed the situation in seconds...The professionalism & quick thinking by the pilot not only saved a war waging asset but also the lives of many civilians in the area adjoining the airfield," the IAF said in a statement, adding that the pilot safely landed the aircraft at the airbase.
The IAF has so far lost 10 aircraft in 2019 and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told parliament on Wednesday that the force has lost 33 aircraft, including 19 fighter jets, since 2015.
Earlier this month, an AN-32 crashed in India’s Arunachala Pradesh state the border with China.
