Five Indian Air Force personnel killed in plane crash at Jorhat

Five Indian Air Force personnel were killed when an AN-32 military transport plane crashed while landing at Jorhat Air Force Station in Assam on Saturday.

An air force official told AFP the co-pilot survived, though the military's statement did not confirm the number of survivors.

Who were the five Indian Air Force personnel killed in the Jorhat crash?

The five personnel killed were Squadron Leader Prashant Singh, Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, Sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and one other Agniveervayu, according to reports citing the Indian Air Force.

The air force said it deeply regrets the loss of the five personnel and extends its condolences to the bereaved families. A court of inquiry has been constituted to determine the cause of the accident.

What do we know about the AN-32 crash at Jorhat?

The air force said the Russian-made Antonov AN-32 was on a routine sortie when it came down during landing. News channel NDTV broadcast images from the crash site showing a thick black plume of smoke and the aircraft apparently broken into pieces. The military did not immediately confirm how many people were on board in total.

What is the AN-32 aircraft and what is its history in India?

The AN-32 is a twin-engine turboprop designed for high-altitude operations and extreme climates. The Indian Air Force operates around 100 of the aircraft for military supply runs and civilian aid missions in remote mountain areas. The last major AN-32 crash occurred in 2019 in Arunachal Pradesh, near the border with China, when 13 people were killed.