Punjab Newsline | Kanpur
A pilot and a trainee pilot were killed after a training aircraft crashed near the Ganga Barrage area in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur on Thursday morning.
According to officials, the aircraft took off at around 11:30 am but crashed just 20 minutes later at approximately 11:50 am after hitting a five-foot-high boundary wall before plunging into a field.
Eyewitnesses said the aircraft was flying at a low altitude of around 200-250 feet when it suddenly began to wobble mid-air and appeared damaged before crashing. The impact shattered the aircraft, scattering debris across a wide area. However, no fire broke out after the crash.
Videos from the scene showed the aircraft reduced to wreckage. One pilot was trapped near the cockpit, while the other was found severely injured a short distance away. A seat from the aircraft was also thrown out during the impact.
Police and administrative teams reached the crash site at around 12:15 pm and rushed the victims to a hospital. The deceased were identified as pilot Sachin Bhatia, a resident of Gujarat, and trainee pilot Abhishek Pujari from Karnataka.
Doctors declared both dead on arrival. Preliminary medical findings suggest they suffered multiple injuries due to the fall from height. The exact cause of death will be determined after the post-mortem examination.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash.
