IAF pilot killed in Sukhoi-30MKI crash was part of Operation Sindoor, father reveals
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "IAF pilot killed in Sukhoi-30MKI crash was part of Operation Sindoor, father reveals")
Flt Lt Purvesh Duragkar Photograph: (AFP, X/@IAF_MCC)
Flight Lt Purvesh Duragkar, killed in the Su-30MKI crash in Assam, had been part of Operation Sindoor, his father revealed. The 28-year-old IAF pilot died during a routine training mission after the jet took off from Jorhat Air Base.
Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar, one of the two Indian Air Force pilots who were killed after a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet crashed in a remote hill region in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, was among IAF personnel part of Operation Sindoor, his father revealed. Ravindra Duragkar, a retired railway employee, recalled that his 28-year-old son visited home ten days ago for a family get-together. He said that 15 days after the operation, he came to know that he was part of the mission.
Ravindra Duragkar told PTI, “15 days after Operation Sindoor was paused, did we get to know that he was part of the operation. He did not have his mobile phone with him during that time. We were not in touch with him during that time. My son sacrificed himself in the service of the nation. Everyone should take inspiration from him... He achieved his dream but he could not serve the nation as much as he wanted to. He had a short tenure of 4 years...”
The last time the IAF spoke to his father was on Wednesday. His family was informed about the incident by his Group Captain.
“My son was extremely proud to be part of the Indian Air Force. He would sometimes share his experience of flying fighter planes and the speeds that IAF jets achieve. He held his colleagues in high regard,” he added.
Purvesh, who did his schooling in Nagpur, is survived by his parents and sister, who is settled in the US.
“IAF acknowledges the loss of Sqn Ldr Anuj and Flt Lt Purvesh Duragkar, who sustained fatal injuries in the Su-30 crash. All personnel of the IAF express sincere condolences, and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief,” the IAF wrote in a statement on X.
The tragic incident happened during a routine training mission when the aircraft went missing at 7:42 pm on Thursday (Mar 5) after taking off from the Jorhat Air Base. The Indian Air Force acknowledged the death of two pilots, who sustained fatal injuries.
After the plane disappeared from the radar, a search operation was launched. In an update earlier, IAF said that the plane had crashed about 60 kilometres away from Jorhat. According to reports, residents heard a loud explosion and saw smoke rising from the hills near Inglong Ekopi.
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