Crashed Sukhoi aircraft pilot send to Kolkata for better

One of the two pilots of the Indian Air Force Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet, that crashed in Assam's Sonitpur district, was sent to the Army hospital in Kolkata Friday for advanced medical treatment, a defence spokesman said.

His another critically injured colleague is undergoing treatment at Tezpur 155 base hospital, the spokesman said.

Both the pilots identified as- Wing commander P Shantra and Squadron Leader Ishant Mishra- who had ejected out after the jet crashed at Tezpur Milanpur in a rice field on Thursday night are safe though in a critical condition, according to defence spokesperson Lt Col Harsh Wardhan Pande.

Pande said Shantra was taken to Kolkata Friday morning.

Mishra, whose left leg was cut, has been admitted at Tejpur, the spokesman added.

The jet fighter had taken off from Tezpur Salonibari Air Force station for routine sorties mission, Pande said, adding, a court of inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

Meanwhile, IAF officials and senior district officers were seen during the day visiting the crash site and collecting the black box of the fighter jet from the paddy field.

The officials, however, did not interact with the waiting reporters at the site, which was totally cordoned off by security forces.

Locals witnessing the crash around 8:30 pm on Thursday had immediately rescued both the pilots and took them to the Army Base Hospital at Tejpur.