New Delhi: Two pilots were killed after a training aircraft crashed into a field near the Ganga Barrage in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur on Thursday, police said.
The accident occurred around 11.50 am on the outskirts of Natthapurwa village in the Gwaltoli area, triggering panic among locals. A large number of villagers gathered at the crash site soon after the incident.
Kanpur Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal said the aircraft had taken off from the Garg Aviation Training Centre at around 11.30 am. The four-seater, twin-engine Tecnam aircraft crashed nearly 20 minutes after take-off. The deceased were identified as flight instructor Sachin Bhatia, a resident of Gujarat, and trainee pilot Abhishek Pujari, who was from Karnataka.
Investigation underway
Police and rescue teams rushed to the spot after receiving information about the crash. The area was secured, and the authorities initiated the necessary procedures. The exact cause of the crash is yet to be determined. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been informed, and its team will conduct a technical examination of the aircraft and a detailed investigation into the accident.
CM Adityanath expresses condolences
The exact reason of the crash is still under investigation. According to officials, it happened after the plane lost control. The officials further said the training aircraft was brought to the centre in 2023. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences to the families of the pilots who dies in the crash. He prayed for the departed souls and wished the bereaved families strength to cope with the loss.
