GUWAHATI/NEW DELHI: An Indian Air Force (IAF) An-32 transport aircraft crashed while landing at Rowriah airbase in Assam’s Jorhat on Saturday, killing five personnel on board.The co-pilot miraculously survived the crash and is undergoing treatment, a source told TOI. The IAF has begun a detailed probe into the cause of the tragedy. “The Indian Air Force deeply regrets the loss of five personnel in the An-32 accident at Jorhat, Assam. Sqn Ldr Prashant Singh, Flt Lt Shubham Kumar, Sgt Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.IAF extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and stands firmly with them in this hour of grief,” IAF said in a post on X on Saturday.Giving details, IAF said the “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.”

NE’s third big AN-32 crash since 2009

Defence minister Rajnath Singh wrote on X, “Deeply anguished by the loss of five air warriors in the An-32 accident at Jorhat, Assam…made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. Their courage and service to the nation will always be remembered with pride and gratitude. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The nation stands firmly with them in this hour of grief.” The crash at Jorhat is the third major AN-32 tragedy in the Northeast since 2009.Antonov An-32 serves as the backbone of IAF’s medium-lift fleet. The force currently operates a fleet of approximately 100 An-32 aircraft. Originally designed and built in erstwhile Soviet Union at the request of IAF, it is a highly capable aircraft for remote and high-altitude regions.It is used for tactical airlifting, troop transport and remote-area resupply. However, the fleet is aging. IAF is, therefore, planning to replace An-32 fleet with newer medium transport aircraft like Airbus C-295, with the first made-in-India aircraft recently completing its maiden test flight from the final assembly line in Vadodara, Gujarat.