On March 29, the Indian Air Force confirmed that an Antonov An-32 transport aircraft crashed in the Jorhat area of Assam, Northeast India, killing all five crew members.
The aircraft was on a routine training sortie when the incident occurred. The Air Force said that immediate site management and a preliminary investigation were launched. The cause of the accident is under investigation.
Indian news channel NDTV aired footage of the crash site, showing a thick column of black smoke rising and debris scattered across the area.
The Indian Air Force operates approximately 105 Antonov An-32 aircraft, which are used for transporting personnel and cargo. The An-32 is a twin-engine turboprop medium transport aircraft developed during the Soviet era.
The most recent serious accident involving an An-32 occurred in 2019 in Arunachal Pradesh, near the Chinese border, killing 13 people.