An Indian Air Force AN-32 transport aircraft crashed while attempting to land at the Jorhat Air Force Station in Assam. The pilot is feared dead, and firefighting teams were deployed to the site. This incident follows a previous IAF aircraft crash in Assam earlier this year.
The accident highlights ongoing safety concerns with aging military aircraft and raises questions about operational readiness within the Indian Air Force, particularly in challenging terrain.
An Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 transport aircraft crashed while attempting to land at the Jorhat Air Force Station in Assam on Saturday. The IAF confirmed the accident, stating that the pilot is feared dead. Visuals from the crash site show the aircraft extensively damaged, with debris scattered and reports of fire after touchdown. Emergency responders and firefighting teams were immediately deployed to the scene to manage the situation and secure the area.
This incident is not the first involving an AN-32 aircraft. In June 2019, another IAF AN-32 carrying 13 personnel, including eight aircrew and five passengers, disappeared shortly after taking off from Jorhat Air Force Station. The wreckage was later found, and no survivors were recovered. Earlier this year, in March, a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter aircraft of the IAF crashed in Assam's Karbi Anglong district during a training mission, resulting in the deaths of two pilots.