Indian Air Force Fighter Jet Crashes In Rajasthan's Churu, Video Emerges

A twin-seater aircraft, which reportedly is a Jaguar fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has crashed in an open field near Bhanyuda village in Rajasthan’s Churu district on Wednesday afternoon. Visuals from the accident spot show the wreckage engulfed in flames and thick plumes of smoke billowing from the debris. The aircraft, completely charred, was part of an IAF training exercise and had taken off from Suratgarh.

Air Force Sends Choppers

Rescue teams have reached the spot and the Indian Air Force rescue choppers were immediately deployed to the crash site. The aircraft, which was part of an ongoing training programme in Rajasthan, took off from Suratgarh air base with two pilots onboard. 

Pilot Killed, Did Not Eject to Save Civilian Lives

Rajasthan Police have confirmed that two people lost their lives, including the pilot. The brave pilot, who was carrying out training sorties, reportedly chose not to eject in order to fly the aircraft away from a densely populated civilian area. The second deceased individual has not yet been officially identified. The cause of the crash is yet to be confirmed.

Here's a video from the IAF Jet Crash Site

Details about the pilot and cause of the crash are yet to be known.

Rajasthan Police Confirms: Pilot Dead

Rajasthan Police are however yet to confirm that it is a IAF jet, but news agency ANI and visuals from the ground with Republic corroborates that the crash jet was a Jaguar. 

IAF Issues Statement

The Indian Air Force in a statement confirmed that an IAF Jaguar trainer aircraft met with the accident. The jet was on a routine training mission and crashed near Churu in Rajasthan. “Both pilots sustained fatal injuries in the accident. No damage to any civil property has been reported. IAF deeply regrets the loss of lives and stands firmly with the bereaved families in this time of grief,” the IAF said in a statement.

The Indian Air Force also announced that it has constituted a court of inquiry to ascertain the cause of the accident.
 

Churu SP Jai Yadav said, “A plane crash occurred in Bhanyuda village under Rajaldesar police station area. Two people have died. Rajaldesar police have been dispatched to the scene. Severely mutilated body parts were found near the wreckage.”

Third Jaguar Crash in Four Months Since March 2025

The Churu jet crash marks the third such incident involving a Jaguar fighter aircraft since March 2025. On March 7, a Jaguar of the Indian Air Force (IAF) went down in the Morni Hills area of Panchkula district, shortly after taking off from the Ambala Air Base in Haryana. Fortunately, the pilot was able to eject safely. On April 2, another Jaguar fighter jet crashed in Gujarat during a night mission shortly after taking off from Jamnagar Airfield. One of the two pilots succumbed to the injuries he succumbed during the ejection.