Indian pilot and navigator die as air show jet crashes

Admiral Nirmal Verma, the navy chief, said the pilots could not eject before the plane hit a residential area near Begumpet airport in Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh state.

"The aircraft went out of control. But the cause of the crash was not immediately known," he said.

The crash came as the plane dived while performing aerobatics, but

failed to regain height.

The aerial display was part of the inaugural events of a week-long civil aviation summit, where participants from several countries were also present.

The Indian air force has been plagued by frequent crashes, particularly among its ageing Soviet-made MiG fighter aircraft.