IAF's two-seater aircraft 'force lands' in UP's Prayagraj after technical snag, pilots safe
New Delhi/Prayagraj (PTI): A two-seater microlite aircraft of the Indian Air Force was on Wednesday "force landed" in an uninhabited area in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj after it experienced a technical malfunction, the IAF said.
Both the pilots who were onboard the aircraft are safe, officials said.
In a post on X, the IAF also said a Court of Inquiry has been ordered by it to ascertain the cause of the incident.
A microlite aircraft is a small aircraft generally used for training, bird recce and survey purposes.
The aircraft met with an accident while it was on a routine sortie. The recovery system was initiated, and "both the pilots are safe". The aircraft was recovered from an open area away from the main city, they said.
"A Microlite aircraft of the IAF, while undertaking a routine sortie, from AF Station Bamrauli near Prayagraj at 1215 hrs on 21 Jan 26, experienced technical malfunction, and was safely force landed in an uninhabitated area, ensuring no damage to civil life or property," the IAF said in the post.
Both the pilots who were onboard the aircraft are safe, it said. "A Court of Inquiry has been ordered by IAF to ascertain the cause," it added.
Authorities in Prayagraj have cordoned off the area, and an investigation into the incident is underway, officials said.
In Prayagraj, Deputy Commissioner of Police (City) Manish Shandilya said the aircraft was on a sortie towards Phaphamau and the Sangam area when its engine developed a technical snag.
He said there were two pilots onboard and they executed a controlled and safe landing in a pond near K P College in the George Town police area.
With the help of police, fire brigade personnel and local residents, the pilots were rescued safely, Shandilya said, adding that divers played a crucial role in the rescue operation.
There were no reports of any casualties or damage, he said.
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Bridge portion collapses on Jammu outskirts; 3-4 labourers feared trapped, 1 rescued
Jammu (PTI): A portion of a small bridge collapsed in the Bantalab area on the outskirts of Jammu city on Friday, trapping at least three to four labourers under the debris, while one injured worker was rescued, official sources said.
Authorities have closed the road link following the collapse of the portion of the bridge.
The incident occurred when labourers were carrying out repair work on a retaining wall near the bridge that was damaged in last year's flash floods, the sources said.
According to the sources, a section of the bridge suddenly gave way, burying workers engaged at the site under the rubble.
Police, Army and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams launched rescue operations to extricate those buried under the debris. They pulled out one injured labourer and shifted him to a hospital, the sources said.
Family members of the labourers present at the site said around six workers engaged at the site at the time of the incident came under the debris when the structure collapsed. The family members said while two of the labourers managed to escape, four got trapped.
The sources said those trapped included the husband of a woman labourer, a mason, an unmarried labourer and a relative of the contractor.
There was no official confirmation on the exact number of persons trapped under the debris till the filing of this report.
The rescue operations are ongoing.
