Croatian Warplane Crashes During Training Flight

The Associated Press
By The Associated Press
December 7, 2022Europe
share
Croatian Warplane Crashes During Training Flight
Croatian army Russian-made MiG-21 plane painted in the country's checkerboard red-and-white pattern in a file photo. (Denis Lovrovic/AFP via Getty Images)

ZAGREB, Croatia—Both pilots safely ejected from a MiG-21 fighter jet that crashed during a training flight, Croatian officials said Tuesday.

The crash occurred in an uninhabited forest area in the northeast of the country around 2 p.m. (1300 GMT). One pilot suffered undisclosed injuries, officials said.

NATO and EU member Croatia has an ageing fleet of some 12 Soviet-made MiG-21s that are due to be replaced with a squadron of French-made Rafale fighter jets.

The delivery of the Rafale jets is expected to begin in late 2024 with a first batch of eight and a second batch of four in early 2025.