New Delhi: Notwithstanding the problem of confidentiality, Air Chief S Krishnaswamy on July 16 said he would make efforts to make public the inquiry report on Monday (July 14) night's crash of an IAF MiG-21 combat jet at Srinagar airfield in which Wing Commander R Rastogi and co-pilot Flt Lt Ganesh were killed.

"Certain documents relevant to this case are confidential, but in this case I would seek the permission to make those available to the public," he told reporters after attending Rastogi's funeral in New Delhi.

The Air Chief said, "I am going to make an attempt (to make the documents public) so that you have confidence in the process." He did not elaborate.

This was the second crash of an IAF fighter plane in a week. On July 7, a MiG 23 crashed in the paddy fields near village Mahianwala Kalan in Ferozepur district of Punjab with the pilot ejecting safely.

Since the start of 2003, the IAF has lost six fighters planes -- three MiG 21s, two MiG 23s and a Jaguar.

PTI