Indian Air Force’ Aircraft crashes in Assam, fire spread soon after landing

DISPUR: An Indian Air Force aircraft crashed in Assam. The incident happened at the Air Force Station in Assam’s Jorhat. The AN-32 aircraft caught fire during landing and crashed. Initial reports suggest that the aircraft had landed and burst into flames before it caught fire. However, there has been no confirmation on this.

There has been no official statement on the casualties, extent of damage or cause of the incident. The Air Force has only issued a statement saying, 'An AN-32 of the Indian Air Force crashed in Jorhat today. More information will be provided as soon as it is available.' Firefighters and a rapid response team have been deployed in the area.

Footage of heavy smoke billowing from the area and the aircraft almost completely engulfed in flames has emerged. These are pictures taken by local residents on mobile phones.

The AN-32 is a twin-engine aircraft used for military transport. It was built for India by Soviet Union. It is reported that about 100 such aircraft are in service with the army. They are designed to perform well in any adverse weather conditions. They can transport up to 7.5 tons of cargo, 50 passengers or 42 paratroopers. AN-32 aircraft is also widely used for supply drops in remote areas.