NEW DELHI, JUN 13 (PTI): Five Indian Air Force personnel, including two officers, were killed when their Russian-origin Antonov An-32 transport aircraft crashed while landing at Jorhat in Assam on Saturday.
The co-pilot of the aircraft sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment at a military hospital in Jorhat, sources said. Six personnel were onboard the plane.
The aircraft met with the accident during a routine sortie at approximately 10am, according to Indian Air Force.
The deceased personnel are: Squadron Leader Prashant Singh, Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, Sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam.
A court of inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.
“The Indian Air Force deeply regrets the loss of five personnel in the An-32 accident at Jorhat, Assam,” IAF said in a statement.
IAF extended its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and said it “stands firmly” with them in this hour of grief.
The sources said the aircraft lost control upon touchdown and skidded off the runway.
It hurtled across the parallel taxiway, snapping into two segments before being engulfed in flames, they added.
The An-32 is a Soviet-designed twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft.
