A Jaguar fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in Kushinagar, minutes after taking off from Gorakhpur air base on Monday morning.
However, the pilot of the aircraft managed to eject safely before the plane crashed to the ground and caught fire.
Luckily, the aircraft crashed in the fields and so there was no loss of life or property.
Senior district administration and police officials rushed to the spot and summoned fire tenders to douse the fire.
District Magistrate of Kushinagar, Anil Kumar Singh. later said the fighter aircraft crashed in the agricultural field in Hetimpur village between Hata and Kasya tehsils. He said the aircraft was on a routine sortie and took off from Gorakhpur airbase but barely 10 minutes into flight, the aircraft lost its communication with the airbase and later crashed.
Singh said that after crashing to the ground, the aircraft caught fire and turned to ashes due to strong winds.
Senior Superintendent of Police Rajiv Narain Misra said the pilot bailed out with the help of a parachute and landed safely in a nearby field. He was later rushed to a hospital with the help of an Air Force ambulance.
IAF sources said that a court of enquiry has been ordered into the accident.