Assam: The Indian Air Force confirmed that the Antonov An-32 transport aircraft “met with an accident” while carrying out a routine mission in the northeastern state of Assam. The aircraft crashed in the Jorhat region, claiming the lives of all five personnel on board.

In a statement, the Air Force said crash site management operations and preliminary inquiries were underway. Officials added that a detailed investigation has been launched to establish the circumstances that led to the accident.

Television footage aired by Indian news channels showed thick black smoke billowing from the crash site, with debris from the aircraft scattered across the area. The aircraft appeared to have broken into several pieces upon impact.

The Antonov An-32 is a twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft widely used by the Indian Air Force for transporting personnel, equipment, and cargo. India currently operates a fleet of around 105 An-32 aircraft.

The tragedy has once again raised concerns over aviation safety, particularly involving ageing transport aircraft. The last major An-32 crash occurred in 2019 in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh near the India-China border, when 13 people were killed after an aircraft went down during a transport mission.