Russian team arrives today to probe Sukhoi crash

Air Chief Marshal F H Major described the crash as bizarre when asked about the possible cause of the accident on the sidelines of a defence function on Tuesday. Another top officer said the Air Force was confounded by the way the fighter crashed after going out of control last week. Sources said the fleet would remain on the ground till the team from the Sukhoi Corporation,the designers of the aircraft,carried out a thorough check and ensured that there was no large-scale problem. The crash was bizarre and we are confounded by it. That is why the Russian team is coming to investigate, a senior IAF officer said.

The flight data recorder,also called the black box,has been recovered from the crash site but sources familiar with the investigation said it had been badly damaged in the accident. The recorder has now been sent to England for forensic examination.

As first reported by this newspaper,the incident has left the Air Force astounded due to the way its most advanced fighter went out of control.