Indian Air Force Grounds Su-30 Fleet After Crash

The Indian Air Force has grounded its entire fleet of Su-30 aircraft after a Sukhoi jet crashed during a routine training sortie.

The fleet has been suspended for precautionary checks and the air force is seeking support from Russia and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to investigate the crash at Pokhran, where the two pilots managed to eject safely.

The affected aircraft, belonging to the 31 Squadron, had been participating in a fire power demonstration and had taken off from Bareilly Air Force Base.

Minister for State for Defence MM Pallam Raju said that whenever a crash occurred the air force would ground the fleet to conduct the court of inquiry first. Only when it ascertained that there was nothing wrong would it resume flying the aircraft.

This is the second IAF Sukhoi aircraft to crash in 2009 following a previous incident in April 2009.