The crash occurred due to a technical malfunction during a routine flight. Despite the emergency, Flight Lieutenant Yadav and his co-pilot took the decisive action of steering the aircraft away from populated areas, thus preventing potential civilian casualties.
According to officials, the pilots attempted to eject from the aircraft after the malfunction but Yadav stayed in the cockpit, successfully directing the plane towards an uninhabited area. Sadly, he succumbed to his injuries, while his co-pilot is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Jamnagar.
This incident marks the second Jaguar jet crash in just a month, raising concerns over the ageing fleet. Witnesses reported that the jet caught fire upon crash-landing, with debris scattered across the field. Locals promptly alerted the authorities.
Flight Lieutenant Yadav had recently returned to duty on March 31, following a brief visit home to Rewari. He was the fourth generation in his family to serve in the military, following a lineage of service to the nation. His great-grandfather served in the Bengal Engineers during the British era, while his grandfather was in the paramilitary forces, and his father served in the Indian Air Force.
Yadav passed the National Defence Academy exam in 2016, completed three years of training, and went on to become a fighter pilot. He was promoted to Flight Lieutenant just two years after joining the IAF.
His mortal remains are expected to be brought to Rewari on Friday morning, where he will be laid to rest with full military honours in his ancestral village of Bhalaki-Majra.
