IAF AN-32 aircraft crashes at Assam air base; five killed, inquiry ordered

An AN-32 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed while landing at the Air Force Station in Jorhat, Assam, on Saturday, killing five personnel and prompting the force to order a court of inquiry into the incident.

The accident took place as the Russian-made Antonov An-32 was landing at the IAF's Rowriah airbase in Jorhat. According to IAF officials, five personnel lost their lives in the crash, while the co-pilot survived and is undergoing treatment.

Firefighting teams were immediately deployed to the site after the accident, with operations launched to contain the situation and secure the area.


In a subsequent update, the force said a court of inquiry was being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.

"An IAF AN-32 aircraft met with an accident today while landing at Jorhat. A court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident," the IAF said in a post on X.

Later, IAF officials confirmed the fatalities and said the co-pilot had survived the crash.

"Five Indian Air Force personnel have lost their lives in the air crash involving the AN-32 transport aircraft at the Jorhat air base in Assam. The co-pilot has survived and is being provided treatment. A court of inquiry has been ordered by the Indian Air Force to ascertain the cause of the crash," IAF officials said.

The deceased personnel are Squadron Leader Prashant Singh, Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, Sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveer Vayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveer Vayu Danish Alam.

The AN-32 is a twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft designed to operate in high-altitude regions and extreme weather conditions. The Indian Air Force operates a fleet of around 100 AN-32 aircraft, which are widely used for transporting military supplies and carrying out humanitarian and disaster-relief missions in some of the country's most remote mountainous areas.

The last major accident involving an AN-32 occurred in 2019, when an IAF aircraft crashed in Arunachal Pradesh near the India-China border, killing all 13 personnel on board.

Earlier this year, in March, a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed in Assam's Karbi Anglong district during a training mission. The crash, which occurred about 60 km from Jorhat, resulted in the deaths of Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar. The IAF had subsequently launched an investigation into the incident.

(With inputs from Agencies)