Russian-Made Indian Air Force Plane Crashes on Landing; Five Dead

An Indian Air Force Antonov AN-32 military transport aircraft crashed on Saturday while attempting to land at the Jorhat air base in northeast India, resulting in the deaths of five military personnel. The Indian Air Force (IAF) confirmed the incident and announced that an investigation has been ordered to determine the cause.

Multiple Indian publications shared images showing thick plumes of black smoke rising from the base, followed by footage of the destroyed fuselage of the Russian-made aircraft surrounded by uniformed military personnel. The IAF expressed deep regret over the loss of its five servicemen in the accident and extended sincere condolences to the bereaved families.

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An AN-32 of the IAF crashed today while landing at Jorhat. An investigation has been ordered to determine the cause of the accident.

This is not the first AN-32 crash involving the IAF. In 2019, an AN-32 that took off from the same Jorhat air base crashed in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, near the border with China, killing all 13 passengers and crew members on board. More recently, in November of the previous year, an Indian-made fighter jet crashed during a demonstration at the Dubai Air Show after performing a low-altitude maneuver, crashing in flames approximately 1.6 kilometers from the show venue.

The Indian Air Force operates approximately 100 of these aging, Russian-made twin-engine transport aircraft, which are utilized for numerous transport missions.

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The Indian Air Force deeply regrets the loss of five of its servicemen in the An-32 accident at Jorhat. The IAF conveys its sincere condolences to the bereaved families and stands by them.