Egyptian MiG-29M Fighter Jet Crashes due to ‘technical glitch,’ Pilot Ejects

An Egyptian MiG-29M fighter jet crashed during a training exercise Saturday, which the country’s air force attributed to a “technical glitch in the control tools.”

The Russian-made MiG-29M is the latest generation MiG-29 and part of a batch of aircraft delivered to Cairo earlier this year. The pilot ejected to safety, Reuters said quoting the Egyptian military.

"We have operative information about the accident with the MiG-29m of the Egyptian Air Force. Our technicians will go to Egypt soon to help with the investigation of the incident, " Russian news agency Ria Novisti reported quoting officials of the United Aircraft Corporation, the MiG-29 manufacturer.

In addition, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that the cause of the incident could be either due to a technical problem (failure of the control system) or a pilot error. An investigation into the incident will be conducted by the Egyptian Air Force Special Commission, it said.

The MiG-29M aircraft is part of a contract for 46 airplanes signed between Moscow and Cairo in 2014. The MiG-29M is a modernized version of the basic MiG-29 having improved control system, air intakes and braking system design and an expanded set of armament. MiG-29M is a single-seat version of the aircraft which also has a double-seat version MiG-29M2.