A MiG-29 fighter aircraft crashed near the village of Nove Sady, Nitra region during a training flight on Saturday evening. As of Monday noon, the cause was still unknown. "An independent commission has been sent to the crash area to investigate all the circumstances. All communications have been recorded and will be investigated," said Defence Minister Peter Gajdoš. He also added that "there may have been some reports, but all matters have to be examined by the commission. As soon as the causes are known, we will disclose them. We have no reason to conceal this," said the minister.
Gajdoš also praised the pilot's professionalism in a critical situation. "Before he managed to eject, he directed the plane to crash into an uninhabited area where no damage to life or property occurred to the civilian population," he said. The fighter plane burst into flames after hitting the ground, but firefighters from Nitra located the fire within a few minutes. The pilot was taken to hospital and is reportedly in a stable condition.
