The wreckage of Sea Harrier fighter aircraft of Indian Navy has been recovered. The aircraft had crashed in the Arabian Sea during a routine training sortie off Goa on August 24, this year. The pilot ejected from the aircraft and was rescued shortly afterwards.

An extensive search lasting three days was undertaken by Indian Naval ships to determine the exact location of the crashed aircraft. The location was identified after, using the sophisticated hydrographic equipment in a depth of about ninety metres. The Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) provided invaluable assistance, for recovering the aircraft, by way of specialised salvage and diving facilities. The wreckage has been unloaded at Goa and is likely to provide vital clues for determining the cause of the accident.

This was second such incident where Navy successfully recovered an aircraft. In April this year, a Seaking helicopter was recovered by Naval ships after it crashed off the Ratnagiri Coast. In that crash also there was no loss of life.