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Two fuel tanks of IAF plane fall on open fields in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD, MARCH 14. Two fuel tanks of a MiG-21 fighter jet fell on open ground at Dantewada town of Banaskantha district in Gujarat on Saturday. No loss of life or damage to property has been reported.

The District Superintendent of Police, Raju Bhargav, said today that both the fuel tanks had been recovered by officials of the Indian Air Force — one from an open field in an agriculture university and the other from a field a kilometre away.

"The MiG-21 fighter jet pilot, who was on a sortie from an airbase in Bhuj and headed towards Jaisalmer, did report that the additional fuel tanks were dropped on open grounds as the "situation" arose," a defence public relations officer said.

The South-West Air Command PRO, T.K. Singh, said the IAF had instituted an inquiry into the incident. Pilots are known to have dropped their additional fuel tanks after looking out for clear ground if the tanks changed the characteristics of the flight. Details of Saturday's incident and what compelled the pilot to release the fuel tanks would be known only after the departmental inquiry was over, Mr. Singh added.

PTI

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