Indian fighter jet crashes; 2 pilots dead

Two pilots of Indian Air Force (IAF) were killed as a fighter jet crashed during a take-off run in southern Bengaluru city, local media and an official statement said.

“Today morning a Mirage 2000 trainer aircraft on an acceptance sortie after upgrade by HAL [Hindustan Aeronautics Limited] crashed at HAL airport, Bengaluru. Both occupants sustained fatal injuries,” IAF said in a statement.

“The incident took place at 10.30 a.m. The Mirage 2000 is equipped with 'zero-zero' [zero speed, zero altitude] ejection seats which enable the pilots to bail out even if the aircraft is on the ground and is not moving. It is unclear at what stage of the take-off run the fighter was in when the pilots decided to eject,” said local broadcaster NDTV.