Two officers of the Indian Navy lost their lives after a glider aircraft crashed in Kochi on Sunday morning. The deceased have been identified as Lieutenant Rajeev Jha and Petty Officer - Electrical Air (POELA) Sunil Kumar.

It was on Sunday morning around 7 am that the glider crashed near the BOT Bridge at Thoppumpady in Kochi. According to Navy officials, the naval power glider, which was on routine training, had taken off from INS Garuda, Southern Naval Command’s air station, which is approximately only a kilometre away from the crash site.

Both the officers were taken to INHS Sanjivani Hospital in the Southern Naval Command, where they were declared brought dead.

According to officials, the glider aircraft has been retrieved from the spot. The reason behind the crash is yet to be found. Meanwhile, the Navy has formed a board of inquiry to investigate the accident.

The spot where the accident took place is usually a busy spot, and is close to the road that connects West Kochi and Ernakulam city.

Read: Indian Navy’s glider crashes in Kochi, two officers injured

Watch visuals of the crashed aircraft: