AN-32 crash Jorhat five killed: IAF names personnel who made supreme sacrifice in Assam

The Indian Air Force on Saturday named five personnel who lost their lives when an AN-32 transport aircraft crashed during a training sortie at Jorhat Air Force Station in Assam. The accident occurred at approximately 1000 hours. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed deep anguish over the loss and said the nation stands firmly with the bereaved families in this hour of grief.

The AN-32 crash Jorhat five killed are Squadron Leader Prashant Singh, Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, Sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat, and Agniveervayu Danish Alam. All five made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered by the IAF to determine the cause of the accident.

Source: Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) | Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) | Indian Air Force official site

IAF Confirms Five Fatalities, Names the Fallen

The Indian Air Force confirmed the fatalities in an official statement issued via its handle @IAF_MCC, stating: "The Indian Air Force deeply regrets the loss of five personnel in the An-32 accident at Jorhat, Assam." The service named Squadron Leader Prashant Singh, Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, Sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat, and Agniveervayu Danish Alam as having made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.

The presence of two Agniveervayus among the five fallen is significant. Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam were enrolled under the Agnipath scheme, which inducted its first cohort of air warriors into the IAF in 2022. Their loss in a training sortie accident marks one of the first combat-equivalent fatalities among Agnipath personnel since the scheme's inception.

The IAF extended its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and said it stands firmly with them in this hour of grief. Firefighting operations were launched immediately at the crash site following the accident, with senior IAF officials rushing to Jorhat Air Force Station through the morning.

Rajnath Singh: Courage and Service Will Always Be Remembered

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reacted to the tragedy within minutes of the IAF's official confirmation. In a post on X, Singh said he was deeply anguished by the loss of the five air warriors and named each of the fallen individually. "Their courage and service to the nation will always be remembered with pride and gratitude," the Defence Minister said. He extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and added that the nation stands firmly with them in this hour of grief.



Court of Inquiry Ordered, Speculation Discouraged

The IAF Spokesperson confirmed in a separate statement that crash site management and initial enquiries were underway at the time of the announcement. The service said: "IAF requests everyone to refrain from speculation till preliminary results are not in." A Court of Inquiry has been ordered in accordance with standard procedure, and will examine crew actions, aircraft serviceability, weather conditions at Rowriah at the time of the sortie, and air traffic control communications.

The IAF said it would share more details as they became available. India Defence Wire will continue to monitor and update this report as official information is released.

AN-32: A Storied and Troubled History at Jorhat

The Antonov AN-32 is a twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft that has served as the backbone of IAF logistics in the northeastern sector since the 1980s, prized for its ability to operate from short, high-altitude airstrips under demanding weather conditions. The Jorhat base has served as the primary hub for AN-32 supply runs to advanced landing grounds along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh, including Mechuka, Vijaynagar, and Along.

The type has accumulated a troubled accident record in the northeastern theatre. In June 2019, an IAF AN-32 with 13 personnel on board disappeared en route from Jorhat to the Mechuka Advanced Landing Ground, with the wreckage subsequently located in mountainous terrain in Arunachal Pradesh and no survivors found. Saturday's training sortie crash at Jorhat itself adds a grim new chapter to that history.

For full background on the initial breaking report of this accident, see: IDW earlier report: AN-32 crashes at Jorhat Air Force Station