An Indian Air Force (IAF) transport aircraft crashed near the Air Force Station in Assam's Jorhat on Saturday morning, prompting an immediate rescue operation and the launch of an official investigation into the incident.
According to defence officials, the aircraft involved was an AN-32 transport plane that met with an accident while landing in the Rowriah area near Jorhat. The IAF has not yet released details regarding the condition of the pilots or any possible casualties.
Confirming the incident, the Air Force said in a statement posted on social media platform X, “An IAF An-32 aircraft met with an accident today while landing at Jorhat. A court of inquiry is being constituted, to ascertain the cause of the accident.”
Visuals circulating on social media showed thick smoke billowing from the crash site within the Jorhat air base premises. Emergency response teams and officials rushed to the area shortly after the accident, and rescue operations were launched immediately.
Initial reports suggest that the aircraft caught fire after crashing. Authorities are expected to conduct a detailed assessment of the wreckage and surrounding conditions as part of the investigation into the cause of the mishap.
The incident marks the second crash involving an AN-32 aircraft in about a year. On March 7 last year, an AN-32 aircraft crash-landed at Bagdogra in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district. Fortunately, all crew members survived that incident and no casualties were reported.
The AN-32 is a Soviet-era twin-engine turboprop military transport aircraft that entered service in the 1980s. Designed for operations in challenging terrain and adverse weather conditions, it plays a crucial role in transporting troops, equipment and supplies to remote and high-altitude regions.
Capable of carrying approximately 40 to 50 personnel or up to 7.5 tonnes of cargo, the aircraft has long been a backbone of the IAF’s transport fleet. India currently operates around 105 AN-32 aircraft, many of which are undergoing modernization to extend their operational life.
Of the fleet, around 35 aircraft were upgraded by Ukraine-based Ukrspetsexport, while the remaining modernization work is being carried out domestically. However, the IAF has been pursuing plans to replace the ageing fleet under its Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) programme.
Under the proposed programme, India is expected to procure around 60 new transport aircraft to gradually replace the AN-32 fleet. The project is currently awaiting approvals from the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) and the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).
Further details regarding the crash, including information about the crew and the findings of the inquiry, are awaited.
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