Indian Air Force AN-32 Crashes While Landing In Assam: Five Killed, Inquiry Initiated

An Indian Air Force AN-32 transport aircraft crashed and caught fire on Saturday morning at the Air Force Station in Jorhat, Assam. Initial reports suggest that the AN-32 aircraft went down within the Air Force Station premises while landing. The crash then triggered a fire.

Emergency teams were immediately dispatched to contain the fire and evaluate the situation at the crash site. The Indian Air Force confirmed the incident and stated that further updates will be released following a full assessment. While the exact cause of the crash and details regarding any casualties remain unconfirmed, the IAF has already initiated a formal investigation into the AN-32 accident.

Casualties

The Indian Air Force later confirmed that five personnel tragically lost their lives in the accident. They have been identified as Squadron Leader Prashant Singh, Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, Sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveer Vayu Khemaram Kumawat, and Agniveer Vayu Danis. The co-pilot survived the impact and is currently undergoing medical treatment.

The IAF's AN-32 Aircraft

The Antonov AN-32, which serves as the "workhorse" of the IAF, is a rugged military transport aircraft with twin-engine turboprop. The IAF operates a fleet of about 100 of these aircraft and is extensively used for supply drops in remote regions.

It was first designed in the Soviet Union specifically to fulfill Indian requirements. It is built to excel in extreme environments and can function perfectly even in high-altitude airfields and hot tropical climates. It can also transport up to 7.5 tons of cargo, 50 passengers, or 42 paratroopers.

AN-32’s crash follows the Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet crash. The crash happened a few months earlier, on March 5, in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, which is located about 60 km from Jorhat.

The twin-seat fighter aircraft had taken off for a routine sortie from the Jorhat Air Force Station. But around 7:42 pm, it lost communication with ground control and could no longer be tracked. The aircraft eventually crashed in a remote hilly area of Karbi Anglong district, officials said. 

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