Jammu's Advitiya Bal amongst the Pilots martyred in MiG 21 crash in Barmer, Rajasthan

Two Indian Air Force pilots were killed when their twin-seater Mig-21 trainer aircraft met with an accident near Barmer in Rajasthan Friday night. Amongst the killed, one pilot has been identified as Flight Lieutenant Advitiya Bal of Jammu whereas the other pilot has been identified as WG CMDR M Rana of Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.

"A twin seater Mig-21 trainer aircraft of the IAF was airborne for a training sortie from Utarlai air base in Rajasthan this evening. Around 9:10 pm, the aircraft met with an accident near Barmer. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries. The IAF deeply regrets the loss of lives and stands firmly with the bereaved families,” the IAF said in a statement. A court of inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the accident.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari following the crash.

"Deeply anguished by the loss of two Air Warriors due to an accident of IAF’s Mig-21 trainer aircraft near Barmer in Rajasthan," Mr. Singh wrote on twitter. Their service to the nation will never be forgotten. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of sadness,” he said

Pertinent to mention here that more than 400 MiG-21s have crashed since 1971-72, killing over 200 pilots and another 50 people on the ground.

In 2012, former Defence Minister AK Antony had said in Parliament that more than half of the 872 MiG aircraft purchased from Russia had crashed. Due to which, more than 200 persons, including 171 pilots, 39 civilians, and eight other services’ people, had lost their lives.

Infamous as "Flying coffin, widow maker ":-

Owing to the numerous crashes, MiG 21 has been designated ghastly names such as the “widow-maker” or the “flying coffin". Although it has been a backbone of Indian Airforce and in 2019, it received huge applause when Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, piloting the aircraft, had shot down a F-16 fighter of Pakistan a day after India had carried out the Balakot air strikes.

Experts believe that the absence of any more fighter jets in the Indian Air Force for a long time is also one of the reasons for the accident. For a long time, with the inclusion of no new fighter jets in the Air Force, the entire weight is on the MiG-21.

The MiG-21s should have been retired long ago. But the huge delays in induction of new fighters, especially the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA), has meant the IAF still operates four MiG-21 squadrons (each has 16-18 jets) after upgrading them to `Bison’ standards.

Former Air Vice Marshal Sunil Nanodkar (retired) said that currently 36 Rafale have been included in the Air Force, but their number is still less compared to the requirement.