New Delhi: Chief of Air Staff S Krishnaswamy on January 20 hotly contested media's description of MiG-21 as a "flying coffin" in the wake of a spate of accidents saying there was nothing wrong with the fighter and it was still a "first class aeroplane".

"There is nothing wrong with MiG-21 and it is still a first class aeroplane. People have seen it for long and it has been serving the Air Force for many years," Krishnaswamy said.

The Air Chief's comment came during a visit to the annual NCC Republic Day camp when reporters pointed out that replica of MiG-21 was conspicuously missing among the wide array of aero-models in the Air Force 'motivation hall' arranged there.

Asking the media not to see anything amiss, Krishnaswamy said, "Do not think that MiG-21 no longer motivates the cadets even though I know the media tries its best to demotivate everyone by describing the fighter plane as a "flying coffin".

"Such outrageous comments demotivates not only the Air Force but also the country," the Air Chief said.

PTI