An Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 transport aircraft crashed and caught fire at the Air Force Station in Assam’s Jorhat on Saturday morning killing five personnel.
The Air Force confirmed five casualties in the mishap and shared details. The personnel who lost their lives in the crash have been identified as Sqn Ldr Prashant Singh, Flt Lt Shubham Kumar, Sgt Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam.
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“An IAF An-32 aircraft met with an accident during a routine sortie today at approximately 1000h at Jorhat, Assam. Crash site management and initial enquiries are on at this time. IAF deeply regrets the loss of lives and stands firmly with the bereaved families in this time of grief,” a post from the IAF stated.
According to initial reports, the AN-32 aircraft went down within the Air Force Station premises while landing, triggering a fire after the crash.Emergency response teams were immediately deployed to the site to control the blaze and assess the situation.The cause of the crash is yet to be ascertained.
Further information is awaited as Air Force has begun investigation into the AN-32 crash.”We are aware of the IAF transport aircraft accident in Jorhat. We are awaiting further details,” Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
The Antonov AN-32 is a rugged, twin-engine turboprop military transport aircraft that serves as the “workhorse” of the Indian Air Force. First built in the Soviet Union specifically for Indian requirements, the IAF operates a fleet of about 100 of these aircraft.
Air Force has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash
The AN-32 is designed to excel in extreme environments, functioning perfectly in high-altitude airfields and hot tropical climates. It can transport up to 7.5 tons of cargo, 50 passengers, or 42 paratroopers, and it is extensively used for supply drops in remote regions.
The crash comes months after two pilots of the Indian Air Force were killed in a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet crash in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam.
On March 5, the twin-seat fighter aircraft took off for a routine sortie from the Jorhat Air Force Station and lost communication with ground control at around 7:42 pm. After that, the aircraft could no longer be tracked. Officials said the fighter jet eventually crashed in a remote hilly area of Karbi Anglong district, located about 60 km from Jorhat.
