A Sukhoi 30 Mki of the Indian Air Force. File picture

New Delhi, April 30: A top-of-the-line fighter aircraft crashed today on a routine flight, killing one pilot and injuring another, in the first accident in India involving a Sukhoi 30 Mki that has sent shivers down strategic circles.

A court of inquiry has been ordered into the crash near Jaisalmer.

The Su-30 Mki is one of the most advanced fighters in the world and is rated next only to the F 22 Raptors of the US.

The reason for the crash is not yet known, but some sources attributed it to a fire in the engine. The Russian Su-30 is a heavy fighter with two engines and has served the Indian Air Force well so far.

“An Su-30 Mki aircraft of the IAF on a routine training mission crashed 70km southeast of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan today. The crash took place around 10:30 hrs. Both the pilots ejected out of the aircraft,” a statement from the air force said.

Wing Commander S.V. Munje survived the crash, but Wing Commander P.S. Nara died of his injuries.

The sources said the pilots reported trouble a few minutes after take-off and ejected out of the cockpit after directing the aircraft towards a field.

“There is no reported damage to any civil property or life on ground,” the air force statement said.

The defence ministry spokesperson, Lt Col N.N. Joshi, said the crash occurred during a routine sortie near Rajmathai-Hariyasar village in Rajasthan.

The Su-30 is the most advanced version of the Su-27 Flanker flying anywhere in the world. The Su-27, first produced in the former Soviet Union in 1982, is counted among the world’s best fighter aircraft even without any upgrades.

The IAF signed a Rs 5,122-crore deal with Sukhoi on November 30, 1996, for the delivery of 40 Su-30 aircraft and associated equipment in a phased manner, spread over four years, from 1997 to 2000.

The first Su-30 Mki was delivered to India on June 22, 2002. The first batch of the aircraft was inducted into the Indian Air Force on September 27 the same year.