Jalpaiguri (WB): The death toll in the MiG-27 fighter crash in West Bengal`s Jalpaiguri district rose to
four with three more persons succumbing to their injuries
while the black box of the jet was recovered on Sunday.
Injured Ranjit Roy (25) died at the North Bengal Medical
College and Hospital in Siliguri this evening while teenager
Purnima Rai and 10-year old Latika Roy succumbed to their
burn injuries last evening, Jalpaiguri Chief Medical Officer
(Health) Radharan Banik told reporters here.
Condition of three of the 12 injured is critical, he
said.
The MiG-27 had taken off from the Hashimara Air Base on a
routine sortie and crashed within minutes in Bhotputti village
yesterday, killing a farmer Bholen Roy and injuring several
others.
Meanwhile, black box of fighter aircraft was located near
the crash spot today, a senior Air Force officer said, adding
a probe was ordered into the incident.
The Air Force would pay an initial compensation of Rs 1
lakh to the kin of the dead and Rs 20,000 to the injured, the
officer said.
Saket Verma, injured pilot of the fighter jet, had
ejected from the aircraft and returned to the airbase.
A three-member team, which includes a technical officer
and a senior pilot, arrived from Delhi to probe the crash.
Another team from the Hashimara Air Base also reached the
spot.
PTI
