The Indian Air Force confirmed on Friday that two pilots lost their lives after a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet crashed in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam during a routine training mission.

According to the Air Force, the aircraft had taken off from the airbase in Jorhat on Thursday evening but lost radar and communication contact with ground control shortly after departure. The last communication from the aircraft was recorded at around 7:42 pm before it went down in a hilly region approximately 60 kilometres from Jorhat.

The IAF later confirmed the deaths of the two pilots on board, identified as Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar. Search and rescue operations were immediately launched in the crash area following the incident.

The Sukhoi Su-30MKI, inducted into the Indian Air Force in the early 2000s, is regarded as one of the country’s most advanced frontline combat aircraft. The Air Force currently operates a fleet of more than 200 Sukhoi fighter jets.