Indian Air Force fighter jet crashes near Pune, airport operations suspended

WEB DESK: A major emergency response is underway in Maharashtra after an Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft crashed on the outskirts of Pune on Saturday morning.

The incident has led to the immediate, temporary closure of Pune Airport’s single runway, causing significant disruption to scheduled commercial flights, according to the Times of India.

Local authorities confirmed that the aircraft went down in an open field shortly after take-off. While the IAF has yet to release a formal statement regarding the specific cause of the mishap, preliminary reports suggest that both pilots managed to eject safely before the impact.

Emergency services and IAF technical teams reached the site within minutes to secure the wreckage and prevent any secondary fires.

Aviation gridlock as runway remains shuttered

The crash has had a direct knock-on effect on civilian aviation, with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) confirming that the runway at Pune Airport which is a dual-use military and civil facility has been closed to all traffic.

Several domestic flights bound for Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru have been diverted or cancelled, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded in the terminal.

An airport official stated that the closure is a “precautionary measure” to allow for a thorough safety sweep and to ensure no debris has compromised the landing strip.

A Court of Inquiry has been ordered by the IAF to establish whether the crash was caused by a technical malfunction or a bird strike, a frequent hazard in the region.

Passengers are being advised to check their flight status before travelling to the airport as recovery operations continue.