An Indian navy fighter jet crashed into the Arabian Sea off the western state of Goa on Friday, with the pilot presumed dead, a military official said.

The jet, a British-made Sea Harrier, plummeted into the sea 15 kilometres off Goa's coast, Indian navy spokesperson P.V.S Satish said.

"The pilot is presumed dead," he added. The cause of the crash was not immediately known.

It came less then a month after an Indian military trainer plane crashed in the southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh, killing its two pilots.

In May, India grounded its fleet of Sukhoi-30s following the first ever crash involving one of the top of the line Russian-built jets.

India has begun training rookie pilots on Hawk trainer planes bought for 1.25-billion dollars in a 2004 contract with British defence equipment firm BAE Systems.

AFP

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