Jorhat, June 13: Five Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel lost their lives after an AN-32 transport aircraft crashed during a routine sortie in Jorhat district of Assam on Saturday morning.
According to the Indian Air Force, the aircraft met with an accident at around 10:00 am. Following the crash, rescue and crash site management operations were launched, while initial inquiries into the incident have also been initiated.
In a statement, the IAF urged people to refrain from speculation until preliminary findings of the investigation are available.
“The Indian Air Force deeply regrets the loss of lives in the accident and stands firmly with the bereaved families in this time of grief,” the statement said.
The deceased personnel have been identified as Squadron Leader Prashant Singh, Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, Sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam.
Paying tribute to the personnel, the IAF said they made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty and extended its deepest condolences to their families.
Further details regarding the cause of the crash are awaited as investigations continue.
