Gujarat: Abhishek Yadav, brother of Flight Lieutenant Siddharth Yadav, who tragically lost his life in a Jaguar fighter jet crash near Jamnagar, Gujarat on Wednesday, April 2, publicly criticised the Indian Air Force (IAF) for continuing to operate retired fighter jet models, calling them “relics from the 70s.”
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Abhishek expressed his grief and wrote, “Lost my brother today, a void that’ll never fill. IAF’s still flying Jaguars relics from the 70s, retired everywhere else by 2007.”
Have a look at his tweet here:
Lost my brother today, a void that’ll never fill. IAF’s still flying Jaguars relics from the 70s, retired everywhere else by 2007. https://t.co/sMCynhuxwr
— Abhishek Yadav (@abhishekyadav97) April 3, 2025
How Did the Accident Take Place?
According to reports, Siddharth, who hailed from Haryana, lost his life during a routine training sortie in Gujarat. The Jaguar fighter jet, which was part of the IAF’s deep-penetration strike capability, took off from Jamnagar Air Force Station for a standard training mission. However, it tragically crashed around 9:30 PM near Suvarda village, approximately 12 kilometers from the Jamnagar city.
While one of the pilots ejected safely, Siddharth, unfortunately, did not survive. Local villagers reported that they heard a loud explosion, followed by a thick smoke rising from the area. They later found his body at the crash site and informed the authorities.
IAF Launches Inquiry Into Crash
As per reports, the IAF has initiated a court of inquiry into the crash, with preliminary reports pointing to the possibility of technical malfunction. However, an official confirmation is still awaited.
The Jaguar aircraft, which entered service in the late 1970s, has been part of the IAF for decades. However, the aircraft has reportedly also been involved in several accidents over the years. Despite its safety upgrades, the aircraft’s aging fleet has raised significant concerns about its reliability.
