Goa MiG crashed after the aircraft hit birds: Pilots steered plane towards secluded area to avoid damage, says state official

South Goa: The pilots of the the twin-seater MiG aircraft, which crashed on Saturday, displayed exceptional presence of mind after the left engine flamed out while the right engine of the aircraft caught fire due to bird hit, said Ajit Roy, Collector of South Goa District Disaster Management Authority. “At about 11.45 am on 16 November, a MiG twin-seater aircraft on a routine training sortie encountered a flock of birds after takeoff from INS Hansa Air Base at Dabolim, Goa. The pilot observed the left engine had flamed out and the right engine had caught fire,” a press note by Roy on Saturday read. “Attempts to recover the aircraft were unsuccessful due to damage and low height. The pilot with his presence of mind pointed the aircraft away from populated areas and both pilots ejected safely,” the note added. Both the pilots Captain M Sheokhand and Lt Commander Deepak Yadav are safe and no damage to life or property occurred on the ground, according to the note. The note goes on to add that the Navy has instituted an inquiry in the incident. Eyewitnesses have claimed that both the pilots displayed exceptional skill and mindfulness to steer the plane towards a secluded area.