A Naval pilot was killed when an aging Sea Harrier jump jet crashed into the sea during a routine exercise off Goa coast on Friday,even as the outgoing Navy chief Sureesh Mehta called the aircraft "flight worthy". The Sea Harrier crashed 15 nautical miles west off Goa at 1157 hours,42 minutes after take-off,for a training mission with the Navy chief witnessing the exercise. "Lieutenant Commander Saurav Saxena,the pilot of the single seater version of the aircraft lost his life in the incident. His body was later found," said,Captain Surendra Ahuja,chief of INS Hansa,the Navy's airbase in Goa. The Navy has ordered a Court of Inquiry (CoI) into the mishap,a naval spokesperson said in New Delhi. Mehta,who is on a farewell tour in Goa,told reporters,"every crash that takes place is a matter of concern". Asked if it was because of the aging Harriers,he said,"The aircraft has undergone midlife upgrade. New equipment such as electronic sensors have been fitted onto the aircraft. The machines are very much flight worthy". Navy officials described the deceased pilot as "well trained".
