Two pilots of the Indian Air Force narrowly escaped injury after their microlight aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in a shallow wetland in Prayagraj on Tuesday due to a technical malfunction. The two-seater aircraft was undertaking a routine training sortie when the problem occurred, compelling the pilots to bring it down in an uninhabited area.
The aircraft came to rest in waist-deep, muddy water thick with aquatic vegetation, leaving the pilots briefly stranded at the crash site. Local residents who witnessed the incident quickly rushed to help, wading into the marshy terrain and assisting the pilots out of the wetland before emergency services arrived.
Eyewitnesses said they heard a loud noise moments before seeing the aircraft descend rapidly and crash-land in the waterlogged area. Residents nearby immediately gathered at the spot and coordinated efforts to rescue the pilots, ensuring they were brought to safety without delay.
Video footage from the scene later showed the two pilots, still in uniform, walking safely towards dry ground with the help of local villagers. Both pilots were reported to be unharmed, and no damage to civilian life or property was recorded.
In an official statement, the Indian Air Force said the microlight aircraft—commonly used for training, bird reconnaissance and survey missions—experienced a technical malfunction during the sortie. The aircraft had taken off from AF Station Bamrauli and was force-landed at around 12:15 pm in a sparsely populated area to avoid any collateral damage.
The Air Force added that a Court of Inquiry has been ordered to determine the exact cause of the malfunction and to assess whether any technical or procedural issues contributed to the incident.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (City) Manish Shandilya said police personnel, fire brigade teams and local residents worked together to carry out the rescue. He noted that divers played a key role in navigating the muddy, weed-filled water and ensuring the pilots were extracted safely from the crash site.
