Pilot Lieutenant Commandant H P Pannu of a Sea Harrier aircraft of the Indian Navy, was charred to death when his jet caught fire after hitting the boundary wall immediately after take-off at the 'INS Hansa' base abutting Dhabolim Airport in South Goa [Images] on Monday.

Director General of Police Neraj Kumar told UNI that the Naval fire tenders doused the flames immediately. Rescuers took the seriously injured pilot to the hospital where he was declared dead.

The mishap occurred at about 11:40 am, as the pilot, was taking off on the single-seater aircraft on a routine training sortie.