An Indian Air Force Jaguar fighter aircraft crashed during a normal training sortie near Jamnagar in Gujarat on Wednesday evening, killing 28-year-old Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav. The plane crashed at 9:30 pm in Suvarda village, which is about 12 km from Jamnagar city.
As stated by the Indian Air Force, the aircraft experienced a technical failure mid-air, leading to both pilots ejecting. While the co-pilot survived and is being treated in Jamnagar, Flight Lieutenant Yadav died in the accident.
Brave Final Moments
Witnesses described the aircraft as catching fire when it landed and having debris all over the field. Locals notified the authorities promptly and ran to the spot. Yadav and his co-pilot made sure the plane landed in an open field, away from any residential area, minimizing civilian casualties.
In the official statement, the IAF validated, “The pilots encountered a technical problem and activated ejection, not allowing the jet to harm the nearby population. One pilot unfortunately died from his injuries, while the other is under medical treatment in Jamnagar.”
The actions of Flight Lieutenant Yadav in his last moments depicted his act of heroism—saving his co-pilot’s life and guiding the plane away from populated areas at the cost of his own life.
A Life of Service and Dedication
Siddharth was from Rewari in Haryana and had recently rejoined duty after spending time with his family. A meritorious student who dreamed of flying, he had cleared the NDA exam in 2016 and served for three years under rigorous training. He was upgraded to Flight Lieutenant after serving two years on active duty.
Having a proud family background of military servicemen, Siddharth imitated his great-grandfather who served in the British era’s Bengal Engineers, his grandfather who was in the paramilitary force, and father who served in the Indian Air Force and later joined LIC.
“He was a brilliant student and always had the dream of flying. It is a tradition in our family to serve in the armed forces. I am proud of him—he gave up his life for others. But as a father, this pain is intolerable. He was my sole son,” said Sujeet Yadav, father of Siddharth, recalling his son’s patriotism towards the country.
Bucking the trend of the tragedy, Flight Lieutenant Yadav had just become engaged exactly ten days prior to the accident. His marriage was to be held on 2nd November.
His body is likely to reach Rewari on Friday morning. He is to be cremated with full military honors in his native village, Bhalaki-Majra.
