Sqn Ldr Lokender, Flt Lt Rishi Raj Singh died in Jaguar crash in Rajasthan: IAF official

Sqn Ldr Lokender and Flt Lt Rishi Raj Singh are the two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots who died in a crash of a Jaguar fighter jet near Churu in Rajasthan a day ago, officials said on Thursday.

The IAF has also said that a court of inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.

The names of the two pilots were released by the IAF on Thursday.

"An IAF Jaguar Trainer aircraft met with an accident during a routine training mission and crashed near Churu in Rajasthan, today," the IAF said in a brief statement on Wednesday.

A day after the accident, it shared a brief statement: "The pilots who attained 'veergati' in yesterday's Jaguar crash were -- Sqn Ldr Lokender and Flt Lt Rishi Raj Singh."

The IAF had earlier also said that it "deeply regrets" the loss of lives and stands firmly with the bereaved families in this time of grief.