MiG-29K crash: Missing pilot found 70 metres below water, 30 miles off Goa coast

Almost 12 days after the tragic crash of MiG-29K aircraft crash in the Arabian Sea, Indian Navy on Monday recovered the body of missing pilot Commander Nishant Singh on the seabed. The body was found 70 metres below water and 30 miles off the Goa coast.

According to officials, "Indian Navy has recovered the body of the missing MiG-29K pilot Commander Nishant Singh on the seabed 70 metres below water. It has been found 30 miles off Goa coast after an extensive search. The aircraft had crashed on November 26 while operating over the Arabian Sea."

The trainer aircraft operating from the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya at the Arabian Sea had met with an accident at about 5 pm on November 26.

Out of the two pilots who were onboard the aircraft, one was recovered on the day of the crash while the other was missing ever since. Search operation by air and surface units was launched for the second pilot.

In an official statement, a Navy spokesperson said the Search and Rescue (SAR) efforts by Indian Navy ships and aircraft to locate the second pilot of the MiG-29K trainer aircraft, which ditched off Goa on November 26, have been on for the past ten days.

Aerial search by MR aircraft and helicopter sorties amounting to 270 hours have been undertaken so far.

Underwater search around the crash site which include extensive dives by saturation divers and continuous overnight search using HD camera have been undertaken in the last ten days.

All sections of the aircraft wreckage including ejection seats have been accounted for using side-scan sonar and HD cameras. The FDR/CVR along with other important material have been recovered so far for analysis/investigation.

Mortal remains of a human body have been recovered in the vicinity of the wreckage site. The samples are being sent for DNA testing for confirmation of identity.