MiG-21 crash: Flyer shares experience of Flt Lt's family on IndiGo flight

Flight lieutenant Advitiya Bal's family reached Rajasthan on Friday to receive his body. On the same flight, Sherbir Panag, a financial crimes and corporate governance lawyer, was travelling and shared his experience on an IndiGo flight on Twitter.

The two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots killed in Thursday night's MiG-21 trainer aircraft crash in Rajasthan were wing commander M Rana and flight lieutenant Advitiya Bal. Wing Commander Rana hailed from Himachal Pradesh, while light lieutenant Bal from Jammu, the IAF said it released their names on Friday.

Flight lieutenant Advitiya Bal was one of the pilots died in the MiG-21 trainer aircraft crash in Rajasthan's Barmer

Bal's family reached Rajasthan on Friday to receive his body. On the same flight, Sherbir Panag, a financial crimes and corporate governance lawyer, was travelling and shared a "gut-wrenching" experience on Twitter.

"Was on the @IndiGo6E flight from Delhi to Jodhpur. Flt Lt Bal’s family was sitting adjacent to me in row 3. As we landed the Captain requested everyone to remain seated to allow for the Bal family to disembark expeditiously. Everyone in row 1 & 2 disregarded the announcement," Sherbir, son of lieutenant general (retired) HS Panag and brother of model-actor Gul Panag.

"I and a few passengers had to scream at the top of our voices to make them sit down and allow the Bal family to pass. It was absolutely shocking to see one’s fellow country men and women behave in this tone deaf, selfish manner. Thats the reality of our respect for sacrifice."

The two pilots were killed when their twin-seater MiG-21 aircraft crashed during a training sortie near Barmer in the desert state.

The IAF said the aircraft was on a sortie from the Utarlai air base and the accident occurred around 9.10 pm.

Air headquarters has already ordered a court of inquiry to ascertain the cause of the accident.

MiG-21s were the mainstay of the IAF for a long time. However, the aircraft has had a very poor safety record of late.