NEW DELHI, June 4 (Xinhua) -- A Sukhoi fighter plane crashed Tuesday in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, officials said.
Both pilot and co-pilot ejected safely but have suffered minor injuries.
The aircraft crashed during a sortie at Shirasgaon village of Nashik district, about 194 km northeast of Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra.
"A technical snag was reported by the pilots. The exact reason will only be known after detailed investigation," India's state-owned aerospace and defense company HAL said in a statement.
Reports said both the pilots were shifted to the HAL hospital.
According to officials, the aircraft caught fire after the crash and was later doused.
The Sukhoi fighter jet is a twin-engine, twin-seater fourth-generation fighter aircraft, built by Russia. The aircraft is built under license by HAL and has been operating in the Indian Air Force for over 20 years. ■
