Five Indian military personnel were killed when an An-32 military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed at a base in the city of Jorhat, Assam. The co-pilot is the only survivor with serious injuries.
The incident occurred today at 10:00 am local time during a routine training flight. The aircraft, assigned to the 43rd squadron of the IAF, was performing a training mission when a serious technical problem arose shortly after takeoff. The crew aborted the mission and headed back to the base.
During the emergency landing at Rowriah airport in Jorhat, the aircraft lost control while touching down on the runway, went off it and crossed over the adjacent taxiway. The fuselage of the aircraft split into two parts due to the strong impact and an intense fire immediately broke out. Witnesses described the appearance of white and then thick black smoke, followed by a loud explosion resembling an earthquake.
The Indian Air Force officially confirmed the identities of the five dead “air warriors“.
The IAF command immediately ordered the formation of a special investigation committee to establish the exact causes of the crash.
The area of the air base has been completely cordoned off for outsiders. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and other officials expressed their deepest condolences to the families of the deceased.
The Soviet-built An-32 aircraft have been the mainstay of India's tactical transport aircraft for decades, with the fleet undergoing long-term modernization programs due to depreciation and previous incidents in the region.