Five Indian Air Force personnel were killed when a military transport aircraft crashed while landing at an airbase in Assam’s remote northeast region on Saturday, the military confirmed. The aircraft, a Russian-made Antonov An-32, went down near the city of Jorhat during a routine sortie, according to an official statement from the Indian Air Force.

The Air Force expressed deep regret over the deaths and extended condolences to the families of the victims. While the official statement did not provide details on the total number of personnel on board or the presence of survivors, an anonymous air force official told news agencies that the co-pilot survived the crash.

Images broadcast from the crash site showed scattered wreckage with thick black smoke rising, indicating a severe impact. The An-32, a twin-engine turboprop designed to operate efficiently at high altitudes and in harsh climatic conditions, is used extensively by the Indian Air Force for transporting military supplies and providing civilian assistance in mountainous and remote areas. The Indian Air Force reportedly operates around 100 of these aircraft.

Following the incident, a court of inquiry has been established to determine the cause of the crash. The last significant accident involving an An-32 occurred in 2019 in Arunachal Pradesh, near the China border, resulting in 13 fatalities.

Authorities are continuing investigations, while the Air Force remains focused on supporting the affected families during this difficult time.