Five Indian Air Force personnel were killed and another injured when an AN-32 transport aircraft crashed while attempting to land in the northeastern Indian state of Assam.
According to The Indian Express, the Antonov AN-32 aircraft was on a routine flight from Jorhat Air Force Station to Chabua on Saturday morning and was scheduled to conduct a parachute-dropping operation.
The report said the aircraft requested to return for landing shortly after takeoff. However, it overshot the runway during landing, crossed a taxiway, broke into two pieces and caught fire.
In a statement confirming the incident, the Indian Air Force said five personnel, including two officers and three other servicemen, were killed in the crash. One survivor was rescued, but his condition was reported to be critical.
The statement said a preliminary investigation into the cause of the crash had been launched and recovery operations at the crash site were ongoing.
The Antonov AN-32, which has been in service with the Indian Air Force since 1984, is one of the country’s primary transport aircraft. The crash is reported to be the third major accident involving the aircraft type in the past decade.
hz/sa
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