New Delhi: Prompt action by an Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot saved his Jaguar fighter aircraft after it faced a bird hit on Thursday morning soon after taking off from the air base and landed safely back to the ground. IAF officials said the Jaguar deep penetration strike aircraft was on its way to take part in a training sortie when one of the two engines of the aircraft was knocked down due to bird hit.

IAF Sources: An IAF Jaguar pilot jettisoned fuel tanks of his aircraft after one of the engines failed after being hit by a bird, pilot managed to land back safely at the Ambala air base. Small practice bombs jettisoned by his aircraft have also been recovered. pic.twitter.com/tXG3x1MDqR

— ANI (@ANI) June 27, 2019

"The pilot jettisoned his fuel tanks and external stores including some 10 kg practice bombs to gain height and managed to land back safely," they said. The dropping of fuel tanks and external stores is part of the standard operating procedures of the Air Force when any plane suffers failure of one of the two engines. The small bombs dropped by the pilot have been recovered, IAF sources stated.