Panaji, Aug 26 - Eight Sea harrier fighter jets of the Indian navy have been grounded here following last Friday's crash of a plane in the sea off Goa, which resulted in the death of the pilot, an official said here Wednesday.

The entire fleet based at the Indian Naval Service (INS) in Hansa, Goa, has been thoroughly inspected by members of the Board of Inquiry set up after the accident that killed Lt. Cdr. Saurav Saxena.

'Contrary to reports, the Sea Harrier fleet in Goa has not been grounded,' a senior naval official told IANS. But the board members want to run a check on each aircraft, and the inspections were being carried out 'for the last two or three days' he added.