HAL regrets death of 2 IAF pilots in Mirage crash

Bengaluru, Feb 1 (IANS) The state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on Friday regretted the Mirage-2000 fighter crash which killed two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots during a test sortie in Bengaluru."HAL expresses condolences to the grief stricken families of the two pilots. The company has initiated an enquiry into the accident in co-ordination with the IAF," HAL said in a statement here.Squadron Leader Samir Abrol and Squadron Leader Siddartha Negi died after the upgraded Mirage-2000 crashed on a test sortie at the military airport in the city's eastern suburb, an official told IANS.While Negi hailed from Dehradun in Uttarakhand, Abrol was from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh. They were both test pilots with the IAF's Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE). The crashed Mirage-2000, which was upgraded by HAL, was developed by French aerospace major Dassault Aviation.
--IANS bha/rs/mr