Assam AN-32 Crash: IAF Transports Mortal Remains of Fallen Airmen Home

Guwahati (IANS): An Indian Air Force (IAF) C-130J aircraft took off on Sunday carrying the mortal remains of three of the five IAF personnel who lost their lives in a tragic AN-32 transport aircraft accident at the Jorhat Air Force Station in Assam.

Officials stated that the AN-32 transport aircraft met with an accident immediately after landing at the Jorhat airbase on Saturday. The aircraft subsequently caught fire, which prompted emergency response teams to rush to the site.

The IAF is flying the mortal remains of Squadron Leader Prashant Singh to his hometown in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Simultaneously, the force is transporting the remains of Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar to his residence in the Gaya district of Bihar.

The aircraft is also flying the remains of Agniveervayu Danish Alam to his family home in the Bhojpur district of Bihar.

Grief Grips Fallen Airman’s Village

A wave of intense grief swept through Kayamnagar village in the Bhojpur district after residents learned that 22-year-old Agniveervayu airman Danish Alam had lost his life in the IAF crash.

Danish Alam was the only son of Mohammad Farooq Alam, a private company employee in Gaya, and Akhtari Begum, a homemaker. He leaves behind his parents and two elder sisters, Shagufta Parveen and Ghazala Parveen.

The accident occurred at around 10:00 AM during what the Air Force described as a routine sortie.

Earlier, the IAF confirmed the accident and noted that personnel had commenced crash site management and preliminary inquiries.

IAF Issues Official Statement

Hours after the crash, the IAF issued an official statement honouring the deceased:

“The Indian Air Force deeply regrets the loss of five personnel in the AN-32 accident at Jorhat in Assam. Squadron Leader Prashant Singh, Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, Sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat, and Agniveervayu Danish Alam made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.”

The IAF also conveyed its profound sympathies to the families.

“IAF extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and stands firmly with them in this hour of grief,” the statement added.