Press Conference held in Croatian Air Force and Air Defence

Speaking about the training event conducted from 20 to 23 September on the “Eugen Kvaternik” military training ground, General Bagaric said that the pilots conducted shooting, rocketing and ground bombing practice with MiG-21 aircraft (September 21 to 23) and rocket attack by the Mi-171Sh helicopter (September 20). The aircraft used 23mm cannons, 57mm unguided rockets and training cement-air bombs, weighing 250kg.
The first two days of training with the aircraft have passed very successfully. Each day, three waves of four MiG-21 with different crews were carried out, and they all have received high marks.
Last day, the third day of training, the exercise was visited by high-ranking MOD and CAF officials. According to General Bagaric, the first wave was completed with very good results. A presentation of equipment of transport helicopters for the medical transport and search and rescue operations followed. Those two helicopters were also on stand by for case of emergency during the exercise. After the presentation, a second wave of four MiG-21 followed, in favourable weather conditions. The first wave of combat shooting was done with bombs, and the accident happened during preparations for another wave, when they were supposed to use missiles. Observers of the exercise, including General Bagaric, who were at one of the observation stations at the training ground, heard through the radio communication shouting “Eject, eject”, followed by the sound of two explosions, after which they saw thick smoke. From the position on which observers were placed at the time of the accident, it was impossible to see the planes.
“During the crash, the pilots reacted superbly professionally, they managed to eject and save their lives”, General Bagaric said. Very soon, officials have gone to the crash site and the civilian police found out that one civilian was injured due to a consequence of the fall. In Ogulin Hospital, where Marija Klippa, injured civilian, was transported, soon arrived General Bagaric, Deputy Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Slavko Baric, and MOD State Secretary Mate Raboteg, who on behalf of the MOD and the Croatian Armed Forces offered all possible support and assistance to injured Mrs. Klipa. General Bagaric once more expressed his regret to the civilian casualty and wished her a fast recovery.
After the accident, a five-member investigation committee, appointed by the Minister of Defence, was promptly formed, headed by the Chief Military Aviation Investigator Goran Strmecki.

According to established procedure, members of the Committee immediately with complete equipment left for the crash site and started with investigations. The Commission is autonomous and independent and no one has the right to influence on their work. Croatian Air Force and Air Defence established a professional body which can be of service to the Commission, but only at their request. The work of the commission is not time limited, and depends on the known facts. The first report should be made after several days, after which work will be continued until the causes of the crash will be determined in the details.
General Bagaric refused to speculate on the causes of the accident, and all facts will be officially determined by the Commission after a full investigation and inspection. When answering on media question, General Bagaric said that before accident, Croatian Air Force had 12 MiG 21 aircraft, year of production between 1972 -1980.

In 2003, they were subjected to general overhaul, with cost about 10 million U.S. dollars for all aircraft. They can be in service up to 2013, part of them till April and the other part till November that year. All are being maintained exactly by the prescribed procedure. Every aircraft that is not one hundred percent correct can not be used in flight missions. Approximately 50 to 70% of the total number of aircraft was always in the flying ready state. Till yesterday the Croatian Air Force and Air Defence had eight MiG-21 in flying condition. Now there are six left and the supervision and protection of Croatian airspace has been normally carried out.
All the pilots of fighter aircraft of the Croatian Air Force and Air Defence have been selected as a quality one in all characteristics. Currently we have 12 fighter aircraft pilots with 6 more waiting for retraining to fly on MiG. Education system by which pilots were transferred from Pilatus to MiG has not shown any negative effects so far, the MiG pilots are among the best in the Croatian Air Force and Air Defence, general Bagaric concluded.