Indian Air Force trainer jet crashes in Chennai during training; investigation underway

Chennai: An Indian Air Force (IAF) Pilatus PC-7 basic trainer aircraft crashed near Tambaram in Chennai on Friday during a routine training mission. The pilot ejected safely before the aircraft went down around 2 pm, escaping without injury, the IAF confirmed.

The PC-7 was on a standard training exercise in the vicinity of the Tambaram air base when the incident occurred. Authorities have emphasised that the pilot followed all safety protocols during the emergency ejection.

A Court of Inquiry (CoI) has been ordered by the Air Force to investigate the cause of the crash. Officials will examine technical, mechanical, and operational factors to determine why the aircraft went down.

The IAF has assured that safety measures and training protocols will continue to be strictly followed, and the incident is being treated with utmost seriousness.

This is a developing story and updates will follow as more details emerge.