Five members of the Indian Air Force were killed Saturday morning after a military transport plane crashed while landing at a base in India, turning what was supposed to be a routine flight into a deadly disaster.
The Russian-made Antonov An-32 aircraft went down around 10 a.m. local time on June 13 during what the Indian Air Force described as a “routine sortie” in Jorhat, a city in the northeastern state of Assam.
The plane crashed at Jorhat Air Force Station, according to local reports. Footage from the scene showed the aircraft split apart as smoke billowed into the sky.
The Indian Air Force quickly confirmed the tragedy on X, saying officials were handling the crash site and beginning an initial investigation.
“Crash site management and initial enquiries are on at this time,” the IAF said, urging the public not to speculate until preliminary findings are released.
The five crew members killed were identified as Squadron Leader Prashant Singh, Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, Sergeant Jitendra Sharma, Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat and Agniveervayu Danish Alam.
The Air Force said the men “made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty” and offered condolences to their devastated families.
“IAF extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and stands firmly with them in this hour of grief,” the statement read.
India’s defense minister, Rajnath Singh, also mourned the fallen crew members, saying he was “deeply anguished” by the deadly crash.
“Their courage and service to the nation will always be remembered with pride and gratitude,” Singh wrote on X. “My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The nation stands firmly with them in this hour of grief.”
For one grieving mother, the loss was especially gut-wrenching.
Poonam Kumar, the mother of Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar, said she had spoken with her son the morning before the crash. He told her he was heading out on a mission.
“I spoke to him yesterday morning. He told me that he was going on a mission. I didn’t receive a call later, and then I got the news that the aircraft had crashed,” she told India Today.
She said her son had recently visited home, arriving on May 5 and leaving on May 29.
“I never thought my son would leave and never return,” she said.
The remains of the five crew members were later transported back to their hometowns for final rites. Full military honors were expected to be held Monday, June 14, according to India Today.
The An-32 has been a workhorse of the Indian Air Force for decades. The twin-engine aircraft is commonly used for cargo transport, logistics and operational missions, including flights in difficult terrain.
The crash has now raised fresh questions as investigators work to determine what went wrong during the landing. For now, officials are asking the public to wait for the results of the preliminary inquiry as five families mourn airmen who never made it home.
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