Kolkata: A MIG-21 aircraft of the Indian Air Force on July 15 caught fire in mid-air and crashed into a pond in a sparsely populated village near Phansidewa in Darjeeling district.

The pilot and a trainee pilot parachuted from the flaming aircraft and were rescued in an injured condition, West Bengal DIG (Hq) of Police N C Ghosh said.

He said that the plane caught fire minutes after it took off from Bagdogra and crashed into a pond at a village in Phansidewa police station area in the afternoon.

No one on the ground was injured due to the accident, Ghosh said.

Wreckage of the aircraft were found floating on the pond.

Senior Army and district officials were at the spot.

PTI