Five Indian Air Force Personnel Killed in An-32 Transport Plane Crash in Northeast

Five Indian Air Force personnel were killed on Saturday when a Russian-made An-32 military transport plane crashed during landing at a base in Jorhat, a city located in India's remote northeast Assam state.

The Indian Air Force confirmed the loss of five personnel in the An-32 accident, expressing deep regret and extending condolences to the bereaved families. The Air Force stated the twin-engine turboprop aircraft was on a "routine sortie" when the incident occurred as it approached for landing. A court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.

An anonymous air force official, who was not authorized to brief the media, reportedly informed AFP that the co-pilot had survived the crash. News channel NDTV broadcast images from the crash site, showing a thick black plume of smoke and the aircraft appearing to be broken into pieces.

The Antonov An-32 is specifically designed to perform effectively at high altitudes and in extreme climates. The Indian Air Force operates approximately 100 of these aircraft, using them to ferry military supplies and civilian aid to the country's remotest mountain areas.

This incident follows other military aviation accidents in the region. In March, an Indian fighter jet, a Su-30MKI, crashed in Assam during a training mission, approximately 60km from Jorhat. In 2019, another An-32 crash in Arunachal Pradesh state, near the border with China, resulted in the deaths of 13 people.

According to Dawn Pakistan, ...