Another MiG crashes, 6 hurt

Just three days after a MiG-23 crashed near Ludhiana, a MiG-21 aircraft nosedived into Vita milk plant in Ambala City today. Six persons were injured, two seriously, when the debris hit the residential part of the complex.

The accident occurred around 11.45 am when the plane caught fire soon after taking off on a routine sortie from the air force station. The pilot, Flt Lt Garg, has been admitted to the military hospital. The injured have been identified as Roshni Devi (60), Swaranjiut Kaur (32), Shankri Devi (65), Sita Devi (40), Amit Kumar (26) and Ashok Gupta (50). While Roshani sustained over 50 per cent burns, Swaranjit suffered head injuries. Both have been referred to the Sector 32 Government Medical College and Hospital in Chandigarh. The others were admitted to the civil hospital in Ambala, while Ashok was discharged after first-aid.

Such was the impact of the crash that the debris spread over an area of nearly 100 metres. Not only the house on which the plane fell was razed, but around seven others in the vicinity were also damaged.

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The broken pieces of the plane also fell on shops in Kalka Chowk. One fell on a high-tension feederline, affecting power supply, another fell on a moving bus, luckily no one was injured.

Fire-tenders from air force station and municipal councils of Ambala City and cantonment were requisitioned to bring the fire under control.