Jorhat : An Indian Air Force AN-32 aircraft was involved in a crash at Jorhat Airbase in Assam after reportedly catching fire following landing inside the military facility on Saturday. There was no immediate official word on casualties, the extent of damage or the cause of the incident. Following the incident, the Indian Air Force issued a statement, saying, “Jorhat- Today an AN-32 of IAF, met with an accident. Further update will be provided once more details are available”.
The Indian Air Force confirmed the incident and said that further updates will be provided after the assessment of the situation. Further information is awaited as Air Force has begun investigation into the AN-32 crash. The Antonov An-32 is a rugged, twin-engine turboprop military transport aircraft that serves as the “workhorse” of the Indian Air Force. First built in the Soviet Union specifically for Indian requirements, the IAF operates a fleet of about 100 of these aircraft.
The An-32 is designed to excel in extreme environments, functioning perfectly in high-altitude airfields and hot tropical climates. It can transport up to 7.5 tons of cargo, 50 passengers, or 42 paratroopers, and it is extensively used for supply drops in remote regions.
The crash comes months after two pilots of the Indian Air Force were killed in a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet crash in the Karbi Anglong district of Assam. On March 5, the twin-seat fighter aircraft took off for a routine sortie from the Jorhat Air Force Station and lost communication with ground control at around 7:42 pm.
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