According to preliminary information, the aircraft caught fire after landing. Fire brigade units and emergency response teams deployed within the airbase rushed to the site and successfully brought the blaze under control. The Indian Air Force confirmed the accident in an official statement and said an initial investigation is currently underway.
The Air Force urged the public to refrain from speculation until the preliminary inquiry report is released. Officials stated that efforts are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the crash and that additional information will be made public as it becomes available.
The Indian Air Force expressed profound grief over the loss of five personnel who made the supreme sacrifice while on duty. The deceased have been identified as Squadron Leader Prashant Singh, Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, Sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat, and Agniveervayu Danish Alam. The aircraft's co-pilot was rescued alive and is currently undergoing medical treatment.
According to available information, the aircraft failed to land on the designated landing strip and instead came down in a rough, grassy section of the airbase. Sources indicated that an explosion occurred during the landing process, triggering a massive fire. The impact was so severe that the aircraft split into two sections.
Rowriah Air Force Station in Jorhat is one of the Indian Air Force's key military installations in Northeast India. The base plays a critical role in conducting air operations, military logistics missions, strategic deployments, and supply operations across Assam and the wider northeastern region.
The AN-32 has a long operational history within the Indian Air Force but has also been involved in multiple accidents over the decades. Since 1986, approximately 22 AN-32 aircraft accidents have been recorded in India. The most recent accident before this incident was reported in 2025. Despite its accident history, the aircraft remains one of the most extensively used transport platforms in the Air Force and continues to play a vital role in logistics support, troop movement, and operational missions across the country.
Earlier this year, in March, an Indian Air Force Sukhoi-30MKI fighter aircraft crashed during a routine training mission. Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar lost their lives in that accident. The fighter jet had taken off from Jorhat Airbase before crashing in the Inglong Ekopi hill region of Bokajan Sub-Division in Assam's Karbi Anglong district, approximately 60 kilometres from the airbase.
The Antonov AN-32 is a twin-engine military transport aircraft originally developed by the Soviet Union's Antonov Design Bureau. It is an upgraded version of the AN-26 and was specifically designed to operate in high-altitude regions, extreme weather conditions, and challenging environments. Since the 1980s, the aircraft has formed a crucial component of the Indian Air Force's transport fleet.
The Indian Air Force uses the AN-32 for transporting troops, weapons, military equipment, and relief supplies. The aircraft is regarded as the backbone of logistical operations in the Himalayan region, the northeastern states, and border areas. One of its key strengths is its ability to take off and land on short runways. The aircraft can carry approximately 6.7 tonnes of cargo and transport more than 40 soldiers at a time.
For many years, the Indian Air Force operated more than 100 AN-32 aircraft. The fleet has undergone periodic upgrades, including modernization of avionics, navigation systems, and security equipment. However, due to their long service life, plans have been underway to gradually replace the aircraft with newer transport platforms. Despite this transition strategy, the AN-32 continues to be regarded as one of the Air Force's most dependable transport aircraft and remains indispensable in disaster relief operations, military missions, and humanitarian assistance efforts.
The latest crash has once again placed the operational history and future of the AN-32 fleet under scrutiny while highlighting the risks faced daily by Air Force personnel serving in critical transport and logistics missions across the country.
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