Five Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel were killed when an AN-32 military transport aircraft crashed during a routine sortie at an air force base in the north-eastern state of Assam on Saturday, authorities said.
The twin-engine aircraft went down at around 10:00 am while landing at the Air Force Station in Jorhat, according to the Indian Air Force (IAF). Initial reports indicated that the aircraft crashed within the station premises and caught fire, prompting an immediate emergency response.
The cause of the accident was not immediately known and an investigation has been launched, reports NDTV.
In a statement posted on social media, the IAF said an AN-32 aircraft had been involved in an accident during a routine sortie in Jorhat, Assam. It said crash-site management operations and preliminary enquiries were under way.
The Air Force confirmed that five personnel lost their lives in the incident. Those killed were identified as Squadron Leader Prashant Singh, Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, Sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam.
“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,” the Air Force said. It added that it deeply regretted the loss of lives and stood with the bereaved families.
Emergency teams were deployed to the scene shortly after the crash to contain the fire and assess the situation. Further details were not immediately available.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said authorities were awaiting additional information regarding the accident.
“We are aware of the IAF transport aircraft accident in Jorhat. We are awaiting further details,” Sarma said. The Antonov AN-32 is one of the Indian Air Force’s principal transport aircraft and has long been regarded as the backbone of its tactical airlift fleet.
Built in the former Soviet Union to meet Indian operational requirements, the aircraft is designed to operate in demanding conditions, including high-altitude airfields and hot tropical environments.
India operates around 100 AN-32 aircraft. The transport plane is capable of carrying up to 7.5 tonnes of cargo, around 50 passengers or 42 paratroopers, and is widely used for logistics and supply missions, particularly in remote and difficult-to-access regions.
The accident is the latest military aviation tragedy involving aircraft operating from Jorhat.
Earlier this year, two Indian Air Force pilots were killed when a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet crashed in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district. The twin-seat aircraft had taken off from Jorhat Air Force Station on March 5 for what officials described as a routine sortie.
According to authorities, contact with the fighter aircraft was lost at around 7:42 pm. The jet subsequently disappeared from radar and could no longer be tracked by ground control.
Officials later determined that the aircraft had crashed in a remote hilly area of Karbi Anglong district, approximately 60 kilometres from Jorhat.
Saturday’s AN-32 crash has again focused attention on military aviation safety as investigators work to establish the circumstances that led to the fatal accident.
