- By Nidhi Giri
- Thu, 10 Jul 2025 12:37 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Pilots Killed In Jaguar Crash: The two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots who lost their lives in the July 9 Jaguar fighter-bomber crash in Rajasthan’s Churu have been identified as Squadron Leader Lokendra Singh Sindhu (31) and Flight Lieutenant Rishi Raj Singh (23).
Lokendra Singh Sindhu belonged to Haryana's Rohtak district while young Rishi Raj Singh hailed from Rajasthan’s Pali, NDTV reported.
The tragic incident took place late Wednesday evening in Suvarda village, 12 km from Jamnagar city. The aircraft developed a technical malfunction, forcing the pilots to eject. Videos of the crash went viral on social media showing a blazing field with debris scattered across the site. The visuals from the accident site showed the cockpit and the tail section of the aircraft lying in separate areas and gutted in flames. Officials revealed that the ill-fated twin-seater Jaguar was engaged in a routine training sortie when the mishap occurred.
"An IAF Jaguar Trainer aircraft met with an accident during a routine training mission and crashed near Churu in Rajasthan, today. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries in the accident. No damage to any civil property has been reported. IAF deeply regrets the loss of lives and stands firmly with the bereaved families in this time of grief. A court of inquiry has been constituted, to ascertain the cause of the accident," the IAF said in a statement.
IAF Jaguar's Third Crash In 2025
This is the third Jaguar accident since March this year. On March 7, a Jaguar aircraft crashed near Ambala in which the pilot escaped safely, but that incident highlighted the risks of flying aging aircrafts. A month later, another accident took place in Jamnagar on April 3, 2025, in which the pilot Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav was martyred after the plane crashed due to a technical fault. Before losing his life, he displayed indomitable courage by steering the aircraft away from the population and getting his co-pilot to eject.
