The Indian Navy's two-seater trainer aircraft 'Sea Harrier' Thursday crashed off the Goa coast, defence officials said. The incident occurred at 8.50 am when the aircraft was on its routine sortie, they said.

"While both the pilots ejected from the aircraft before it crashed in the Arabian sea, the defence forces could rescue only one pilot. Search is still on for the second pilot," Ministry of Defence, Public Relations Officer Captain Abhay Lambhate told PTI.

Officials said that the aircraft crashed soon after taking off from Dabolim airbase in the sea. "Indian Navy and Coast Guard have initiated a joint search operation five to seven nautical miles from Goa coast. Helicopters and ships have been pressed in service to trace the missing pilot," Lambhate said. As a defence ministry's policy decision, the officials have not yet disclosed the names of pilots flying the aircraft.