A Russian-made Indian Air Force An-32 military transport plane crashed on June 13 while landing at an air force station in Jorhat, Assam, in northeast India [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Five Indian Air Force personnel died in the crash [3, 4, 6]. The co-pilot survived, according to an anonymous air force official [3, 6].
NDTV broadcast images showing a thick black plume of smoke rising from the crash site and the aircraft broken into pieces [1, 2, 3, 5, 6]. The Indian Air Force expressed deep regret over the loss, stating it "deeply regrets the loss of five personnel" and extends "its deepest condolences to the bereaved families," adding that the service "stands firmly with them in this hour of grief" [3, 6].
The An-32 is a twin-engine turboprop designed for high altitudes and extreme climates. The aircraft is mainly used by the Indian Air Force to carry supplies and provide civilian aid in remote mountainous areas [2, 6]. The Air Force operates about 100 An-32 planes [2, 6]. The last major crash involving an An-32 happened in 2019 in Arunachal Pradesh state, when 13 people were killed [2, 6].
The Indian Air Force is forming a court of inquiry to investigate the cause of the crash at Jorhat. "A court of inquiry is being constituted, to ascertain the cause of the accident," the service said [1, 2, 5, 6].
