On Saturday (June 13, 2026), a transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed while landing in Jorhat district of Assam. Five Air Force soldiers were martyred in this accident. The Indian Air Force has ordered an investigation into this incident.

This incident occurred when the AN-32 aircraft of 43 Squadron was landing at the Air Force station located in Roveria area. This plane was loaded with luggage. A video of this incident has also surfaced, in which it can be seen that the plane broke into two pieces after the crash and then caught fire.

#UPDATE | Five Indian Air Force personnel have lost their lives in the air crash involving the AN-32 transport aircraft at the Jorhat air base in Assam. The co-pilot has survived and is being provided treatment. A court of inquiry has been ordered by the Indian Air Force to… https://t.co/JYX7IxmEUo pic.twitter.com/j63CEWtvQ0

— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2026

IAF said that in this accident, Squadron Leader Prashant Singh, Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, Sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveer Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveer Danish Alam made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. He said that IAF stands strongly with his family in this hour of grief.

The Indian Air Force deeply regrets the loss of five personnel in the An-32 accident at Jorhat, Assam.

Sqn Ldr Prashant Singh, Flt Lt Shubham Kumar, Sgt Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.… pic.twitter.com/9SmOjtS5mU

— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) June 13, 2026

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has expressed grief over this accident. He said that he is deeply saddened by the death of 5 air warriors in the AN-32 accident in Jorhat, Assam. In this hour of grief, the country stands strongly with his family.

Deeply anguished by the loss of five Air Warriors in the An-32 accident at Jorhat, Assam.

Sqn Ldr Prashant Singh, Flt Lt Shubham Kumar, Sgt Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. Their courage… https://t.co/eChXozjT85

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 13, 2026

Co-pilot’s life saved in accident

Indian Air Force officials said that the co-pilot’s life was saved in this accident and he is currently undergoing treatment. After the accident, the Indian Air Force ordered to form an investigation committee to find out the reasons.

AN-32 transport aircraft crashed in the premises of a strategically important airport located in the upper reaches of Assam. It is said that at the time of the accident the plane was going from Arunachal Pradesh to Jorhat.

Also read- Major accident in Jorhat, Assam, AN-32 aircraft of Indian Air Force crashes, video surfaced.

Russian twin engine aircraft is AN-32

The Soviet-origin AN-32 is a twin-engine tactical transport aircraft that has been a vital aircraft for the Indian Air Force for decades, especially in difficult terrain and high altitude areas in the north-east and the Himalayan range. This latest incident has once again drawn attention to the operational history of this aircraft.

AN-32 aircraft have become victims of accidents several times in the last years.

It is noteworthy that in June 2019, an Air Force AN-32 aircraft carrying 13 people went missing after taking off from Jorhat Air Force Station for Mechuka in Arunachal Pradesh. After a massive search operation, the wreckage of the plane was found in the mountainous region of Arunachal Pradesh and all 13 people on board were declared dead. In July 2016, another AN-32 aircraft went missing over the Bay of Bengal while en route from Chennai to Port Blair, with 29 people on board. Despite one of India’s largest search operations, the plane could not be traced for years and all the people on board were considered dead.

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Air Force Squadron Leader Anuj Sharma, who was martyred in the Sukhoi fighter plane crash in Assam, was cremated with state honors in his native village Kakrana on Saturday (February 7). His younger brother Manuj lit his funeral pyre. A large number of people reached the village to bid last farewell to martyr Anuj and paid tribute to him with tearful eyes.

As soon as Anuj Sharma’s mortal remains reached Kakrana village in Rohtak district in the afternoon, a crowd of family members and villagers gathered. People bid him last farewell with slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Shaheed Anuj Sharma Amar Rahein’. During this time, Congress MP from Rohtak Deependra Hooda and Haryana Government Minister Dr. Arvind Sharma also came to pay tribute and expressed condolences to the family.

‘Anuj’s martyrdom has raised the name of the entire region’- Minister Arvind Sharma

Minister Arvind Sharma said that this martyrdom is a big loss for the country. Today the entire country is immersed in mourning. Anuj’s martyrdom has raised the name of Kakrana village and the entire area. He said that the entire country will never forget the brave son who made the supreme sacrifice while protecting the country. It is being told that Anuj Sharma’s relationship was finalized and preparations for engagement and marriage were going on in the family. The person with whom she was to get married is also a pilot in the Indian Air Force, but before the marriage, Anuj got martyred while protecting the country.

Squadron Leader Anuj Sharma was born on 9 August 1993 in Kakrana village of Rohtak district. When he was about 7 years old, his family settled in Gurugram. His education also took place in Gurugram only. Anuj, who was promising in studies, was selected in the Indian Air Force in the year 2015. When he returned to the village for the first time in 2016 after completing his training, the villagers gave him a grand welcome.

Martyr Anuj’s father also retired from the post of Subedar in the Indian Army.

Anuj’s father Anand Sharma is retired from the post of Subedar in the Indian Army. It was after taking inspiration from his father that Anuj joined the Indian Air Force. There is also his younger brother Manuj in the family, who works in England after completing his B.Tech. Manuj returned to India as soon as he received the news of his brother’s martyrdom. According to the Indian Air Force, the SU-30 MKI fighter aircraft took a routine practice flight from Jorhat airbase in Assam on Thursday evening.

Squadron Leader Anuj Vashishtha and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar were on board the plane. Shortly after takeoff, at around 7.42 pm, the plane lost contact with air traffic control and disappeared from radar.

After this the Air Force immediately started the search operation. During the search, it was found that the plane crashed in the dense forests of Karbi Anglong, about 60 kilometers from Jorhat. The Air Force confirmed the martyrdom of both the officers while sharing the information on the social media platform ‘X’.