54 defence aircraft lost in crashes in last 3 yrs

66 defence personnel, 6 civilians killed in mishaps, MIG-21 tops list of lost planes

Fifty-four defence aircraft, including combat planes and helicopters, have been lost in crashes in the last three years in which 66 defence personnel and six civilians were killed, Defence Minister A K Antony said today.

In 2009-10, 16 aircraft were lost in crashes, 17 of them were lost in 2010-11, 15 aircraft crashed in 2011-12 while six of them have been lost so far in 2012-13, he said in written reply to a Lok Sabha query.

The aircraft lost in the crashes include two Su-30 MKIs, 11 MiG 21s, two Mirage 2000, 10 Cheetah/Chetak choppers along with Mi-17, MiG 27 and Jaguar aircraft.

"In the above accidents, a total of 66 defence personnel and six civilians have lost their lives," Antony said.

He said all the crashes are probed by Court of Inquiries (CoIs) and their recommendations and findings are implemented by the authorities.

Answering another query, the Minister said the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has worked on one road project in Mynamar which will connect it with India.

"Only one road work/project (namely resurfacing of road Tamu-Kyigine-Kalewa and Kyigone-Kalemyo) connecting India and Myanmar is under execution by BRO," he said.

Antony informed the House that the work on the project was completed in 2001.

He said that BRO is also executing a project for "double-laning of the road up to Tawang and road beyond Tawang is motorable."

There are constraints regarding availability of material, labour and equipment in this area for which several steps have been taken, he said.

In reply to another query on attack on Indian fishermen by foreign vessels, he said, "Some foreign vessels are transiting very close to Indian west coast to avoid piracy attack by Somalian pirates, leading to their transgression into fishing zone utilised by Indian fishermen."