The Hindu : MiG crashes, 4 killed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 05, 2003

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MiG crashes, 4 killed

Ludhiana April 4. A MiG-23 fighter of the Indian Air Force today crashed over a residential area at a village 20 km from here around 10.30 a.m. after it took off from the Halwara base, killing four members of a family. The pilot, however, bailed out safely.

A child belonging to the family remained buried in the debris after the wreckage of the aircraft fell over five houses at Mullanpur Dakha, damaging them substantially. — PTI

Probe ordered into MiG crash

By Our Staff Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, APRIL 4. Seventy-year-old general merchant, Deewan Chand's life was shattered today as his only son, Raju, daughter-in-law Pammi, and Pammi's nephew, Sunny, were killed on the spot when a MiG-23 fighter plane crashed into five houses at Bank Colony in Mullanpur.

Deewan Chand's wife, Bimla Devi, was admitted to DMC Hospital in Ludhiana with 90 per cent burns, while three persons belonging to a neighbour, Parshottam Singh's family were admitted to hospital with 70 per cent burn injuries.

The crash reduced the five houses to a mound of debris. While fire tenders from Halwara air base and Ludhiana struggled to put out the flames, the authorities requistioned men and equipment to speedily remove the debris as a child was said to be still alive in the rubble.

Eyewitnesses who had helped the pilot, B.S. Gill, return to the base after he had bailed out said that according to the pilot the snag developed so suddenly that he could not even contact the Air Traffic Controller. The Air Force, which lost contact with him for an hour, decided finally to send a helicopter to trace any mishap. However, through a mobile phone of a villager, the pilot contacted the base.

While a court of inquiry has been ordered into the mishap, the Punjab Chief Minister, Amarinder Singh, expressed shock and grief. He announced a grant of Rs. 1 lakh each for the deceased and Rs. 50,000 each for the injured. Air Force, civil and police officers rushed to the spot to supervise relief and rescue operations.

According to sources, with today's crash the total number of mishaps involving IAF fighter aircraft in Punjab and Haryana in the past one year has gone up to seven. These include two Jaguars, three MIG-21 and two MIG-23s.

Last year, a MIG had crashed into a market place in Jalandhar killing nine persons and a few months later another crashed in Moga district. A MiG-21 crashed at Fatehabad in Haryana while a Jaguar met with a mishap in Ambala, killing the pilot. A MiG-21 and a Jaguar crashed at Ambala in September and November, respectively. At least 12 people in the latter mishap.

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