The five Air Force personnel who lost their lives in the An-32 aircraft accident near Jorhat in Assam have been identified as squadron leader Prashant Singh, flight lieutenant Shubham Kumar, sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam. The An-32 aircraft met with an accident during a “routine sortie” near Jorhat at approximately 10 am, according to the Air Force. Earlier, an IAF official said the aircraft was unable to land on the runway and crashed in an area outside the airstrip.“The Indian Air Force (IAF) deeply regrets the loss of five personnel in the An-32 accident at Jorhat,” the force said in a statement confirming the casualties.The Air Force said operations at the crash site were ongoing as investigators sought to determine the cause of the accident. Urging caution against premature conclusions, the IAF said, “IAF requests everyone to refrain from speculation till preliminary results are not in.”The Antonov An-32, a twin-engine military transport aircraft, forms a key part of the Indian Air Force’s medium-lift fleet, with around 100 aircraft currently in service.Developed in the former Soviet Union to meet the IAF’s operational requirements, the An-32 is designed for operations in challenging environments, including remote and high-altitude regions. Equipped with two turboprop engines mounted above the wings, the aircraft can carry up to 7,500 kg of cargo, 50 passengers, or 42 paratroopers. It is widely used for tactical airlift missions, troop movement and the delivery of supplies to remote locations.The IAF has initiated plans to phase out the aging fleet and replace it with newer medium transport aircraft, including the Airbus C-295. The programme received a boost recently when the first C-295 manufactured in India completed its maiden test flight from the final assembly line in Vadodara, Gujarat.
