Five Indian Air Force personnel were killed after an AN-32 transport aircraft crashed at the Jorhat Air Force Station in Assam. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his condolences for five Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel who died in the tragic AN-32 plane crash at the Jorhat Air Force Station in Assam on Saturday. In a post on X, CM Sarma said the Assam government is in touch with the concerned authorities and is ready to offer any support and assistance.
Leaders Express Anguish Over Loss of Lives
Pained by the loss of 5 brave Air Warriors of @IAF_MCC in the AN 32 accident in Jorhat. The loss of Sqn Ldr Prashant Singh, Flt Lt Shubham Kumar, Sgt Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam in the line of duty is deeply unfortunate. On behalf… https://t.co/l2eP4jVd4B — Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) June 13, 2026
"Pained by the loss of 5 brave Air Warriors of @IAF_MCC in the AN 32 accident in Jorhat. The loss of Sqn Ldr Prashant Singh, Flt Lt Shubham Kumar, Sgt Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam in the line of duty is deeply unfortunate. On behalf of the people of Assam, I offer my thoughts and prayers with the bereaved families in this hour of grief," he said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed deep anguish over the AN-32 crash, saying "Deeply anguished by the loss of five Air Warriors in the An-32 accident at Jorhat, Assam. Sqn Ldr Prashant Singh, Flt Lt Shubham Kumar, Sgt Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. Their courage and service to the nation will always be remembered with pride and gratitude. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The nation stands firmly with them in this hour of grief."
Details of the Aircraft and Incident
The AN-32 is a twin-engine military transport aircraft that has been extensively used by the Indian Air Force for logistics, cargo transportation and operational support missions across diverse terrains, including high-altitude and remote regions.
According to the Ministry of Defence, IAF is mulling replacing its ageing AN-32 and IL-76 transport aircraft with the Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) programme to meet future strategic, tactical and operational airlift requirements.
Confirming the incident, the IAF said, "An AN-32 transport aircraft met with an accident at the Jorhat Air Force Station in Assam. More details are awaited."
The accident reportedly took place when the aircraft was attempting to land at the Jorhat airfield at 10:00 am. (ANI)
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