Indian Navy's MiG 29K fighter jet crashes in Goa during sortie, pilot ejects safely

Indian Navy's MiG 29K crashes in Goa, develops technical malfunction while returning to base, pilot ejects safely; Board of Inquiry to investigate the cause of the incident.

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A MiG 29K on a routine sortie over the sea off Goa developed a technical malfunction while returning to base and crashed over the sea. The pilot ejected safely and has been recovered in a swift Search and Rescue Operation. A Board of Inquiry (BoI) has been ordered to investigate the cause of the incident. The pilot has recovered and is stable. "The twin-engine MiG-29K crashed over the sea after it developed a technical malfunction while returning to base. The pilot ejected safely and has been recovered in a swift search & rescue operation. He is reported to be in stable condition," Indian Navy stated.

A MiG 29K on a routine sortie over sea off Goa developed a technical malfunction while returning to base. The pilot ejected safely & has been recovered in a swift SAR ops.
Pilot reported to be in stable condition.
BoI ordered to investigate the cause of the incident.

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) October 12, 2022

The Navy said it has ordered a Board of Inquiry (BoI) to investigate the cause of the incident. The Indian Navy is the world`s only operator of the MiG-29K fighter aircraft acquired from Russia along with Admiral Gorshkov renamed INS Vikramaditya in India. The safety record of the MiG-29Ks has not been very good.

The force is now looking at the procurement of 25-26 foreign fighter aircraft for operations from the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant commissioned recently by the Prime Minister in Kochi. The MiG-29s are deployed in Goa at the naval base INS Hansa.

Earlier as well in 2020, 2019 and 2018, MiG-29 crashes were reported on February 23, 2020 and on November 16, 2019. The first loss of an Indian MiG-29K occurred in 2018.

With inputs from ANI