Pakistani mirage jet crashes

A Pakistan Air Force fighter jet crashed in the country’s southwest on Aug. 25 but the pilot was able to eject safely, a military official said.

The French-built Mirage aircraft came down near the town of Badin, 105 miles east of Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, Air Commodore Sarfraz Ahmed Khan told AFP.

“The pilot was able to successfully eject before the crash,” Khan said. “He has been recovered and is safe.”

The air force spokesman said “technical reasons” were responsible for the crash but added that an investigation was under way into the details.

Khan said the air force was still checking to see if there was any damage on the ground, as the crash happened near a populated area.

Defense experts say Pakistan’s fleet of Mirage jets forms part of the country’s nuclear deterrent and that the planes are capable of carrying atomic bombs.

The air commodore refused to comment on whether the crashed fighter was armed with nukes.

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