- 23 hours ago
An Indian Air Force AN-32 transport aircraft crashed and caught fire after landing off the designated airstrip at the Jorhat airbase in Assam. Visuals from the site show the aircraft broken into two parts, with damage to the front and middle sections. Emergency response teams, including firefighters, were immediately deployed to control the blaze and initiate rescue operations. The exact number of crew members and passengers on board remains unknown. The Indian Air Force's Eastern Command confirmed the incident and ordered a court of inquiry to investigate the cause of the crash, including potential technical glitches or maintenance issues. The AN-32 has been a medium-lift transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force since 1984, frequently used in high-altitude regions like Ladakh and Northeast India. However, the aircraft has a history of accidents, including a crash in Arunachal Pradesh in 2019 and another in Jorhat within the last seven years. Investigations into this latest incident are currently underway.
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NewsTranscript
00:00We're getting some more breaking news.
00:02Indian Air Force's AN-32 crashes in Assam.
00:06That's the breaking news that's coming in Jorahat from Jorahat Air Base in Assam.
00:10Indian Air Force's AN-32 aircraft accident is being reported from Assam's Jorahat.
00:16Reportedly, the aircraft caught fire after landing inside the airbase.
00:21So those are the initial details that we are getting.
00:24That the Indian Air Force's AN-32 has crashed in Assam's Jorahat Air Base.
00:30And what we're learning as of now is that the aircraft reportedly caught fire after landing.
00:36And that is what caused the crash in Assam's Jorahat.
00:42My colleague Shivani Sharma is now joining us with more details on this.
00:46Shivani, over to you.
00:47Give us more details about this aircraft accident being reported from Jorahat.
00:51Anjali, this is an AN-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force, which is a transport fleet aircraft of the
00:57Air Force.
00:57And this has caught fire in Jorahat, Assam, the airbase area only.
01:02How this happened is being inquired in a port of inquiry that has already been ordered as a standard SOP
01:08after the incident.
01:10More details are being awaited.
01:11The Indian Air Force will be coming out with more details about the crew on board, what is the situation,
01:18how the rescue operations are going on.
01:20But there seems to be an explosion in this aircraft upon landing.
01:27That's what the initial reports are indicating.
01:29Anjali, this is an unfortunate incident.
01:31And when we talk about AN-32, they have been in service since last four decades, over four decades.
01:36And the upgrades also keep happening.
01:39But certainly, they are the vintage aircraft of the Indian Air Force that are being used.
01:45And this particular aircraft was on a sortie.
01:48And what the initial reports are indicating that it landed.
01:52And as soon as it landed, it caught fire in Jorahat, Assam.
01:55Jorahat, Assam, is an important active airbase of the Indian Air Force.
02:00And the multiple operations keep happening there.
02:03And this AN-32 has caught fire.
02:06We are waiting for more details, Anjali.
02:08Right, Shivani, do stay with us.
02:09So, more details are awaited.
02:11But as per the initial reports, what we're learning is that the aircraft caught fire after landing at the Jorahat
02:16airbase.
02:17So, these are the visuals from Jorahat, Assam, from where this accident was being reported.
02:22This is the Indian Air Force AN-32 aircraft that has crashed in Jorahat, in Assam.
02:29And what we're learning is that the aircraft caught fire after landing at this airbase.
02:34How many crew members were present on board is still not known.
02:39Further details are awaited.
02:41Shivani, my colleague, continues to stay with us.
02:43Shivani, any update on the rescue operations?
02:47Anjali, the rescue operations continue on ground because this happened in the airbase.
02:53So, all the air force staff, all the crew members, they rushed, the officials rushed on the spot and rescue
03:00operations began.
03:01We can also see in the pictures that the rescue work is going on even as the fire is reported
03:07on that craft.
03:08So, rescue operations are going on, all the authorities are on alert and the situation of the crew members will
03:16be given out soon.
03:17What is the situation?
03:18Were there crew members on board?
03:21Was it an aircraft that was carrying some cargo or some men were also there?
03:26The personnel were also there?
03:28All these details are being awaited.
03:29But the first report is that this incident has happened in Jorhat, Assam.
03:35The aircraft has caught fire.
03:37We can see the wreckage there on which the fire can be seen.
03:42And there are some personnel who are trying to rescue and try to help the crew out there on this
03:49aircraft.
03:50So, the Indian Air Force will be coming out with more official details on this particular incident.
03:55But what we know as of now that this has happened in Jorhat, Assam, in the airbase where the aircraft
04:01landed.
04:02And as soon as this landed, it caught fire.
04:05So, what was the issue?
04:06Was there a technical malfunction or any other problem?
04:09Was there a weather problem that caused this particular incident?
04:16So, all these details are awaited, Anjali.
04:18But this is a major accident that the Indian Air Force has witnessed today in the airbase in Jorhat, Assam.
04:25All right, Shivani.
04:26Thank you for those details.
04:27So, a major accident is being reported from Assam's Jorhat where an Indian Air Force AN-32 aircraft crashed.
04:34And reportedly, the aircraft caught fire after landing.
04:37And that is what led to the crash.
04:39Jorhat, remember, is a key Indian Air Force hub in northeast India.
04:42And it supports logistic and air maintenance operations to forward areas.
04:46Now, this particular aircraft, the AN-32, has been the backbone of the Indian Air Force's tactical transport fleet for
04:52decades.
04:53Now, currently, the rescue operations are underway.
04:55As you can see in these visuals, these are the visuals after the crash.
05:00And the wreckage is clearly visible in these visuals.
05:02The rescue operations still continue.
05:04And we are expecting a statement from the Indian Air Force as well.
05:09Still, we don't know how many crew members were on board this aircraft.
05:13And we're showing you more visuals of the wreckage of the aircraft, the AN-32.
05:19This has been one of the Indian Air Force's most important transport aircraft since the mid-1980s,
05:25particularly for operations in the northeast, Ladakh and other high-altitude regions.
05:30And it has earned a reputation as a rugged aircraft capable of operating from short and challenging airstrips.
05:36But this unfortunate incident being reported from Jorhat in Assam where this AN-32 crash,
05:44what we're learning as per initial reports is that it caught fire after landing.
05:48And these are the visuals.
05:51This is the aftermath of the crash.
05:53This is the AN-32, Indian Air Force AN-32 aircraft that has crashed in Assam's Jorhat.
05:59And rescue operations still continue.
06:01As you can see on the right, on the left, you can see the wreckage of the aircraft.
06:08So, this is from near the Jorhat Air Base in Assam.
06:15And in 2019, also, AN-32 flying from Jorhat to Mechuka had crashed in Arunashar Pradesh.
06:21And all 13 on board were killed in 2019.
06:25This time, we still don't have the details how many crew members were on board this aircraft.
06:30A statement from the Indian Air Force is likely to be out soon.
06:34But as of now, we don't have those details.
06:37We continue to track the story to get you those details.
06:39But these are the latest visuals from Jorhat, where the rescue operations still continue.
06:45And you can see in these visuals the wreckage of the AN-32.
06:48It has been a crucial part of the Indian Air Force.
06:52And these are the visuals from Jorhat, which is a key Indian Air Force hub in northeast India.
06:57It supports logistics and air maintenance operation to forward areas.
07:01And these are the visuals of AN-32 that we're learning crashed.
07:04And it caught fire after landing, after which there was an explosion, as my colleague Shivani Sharma was mentioning.
07:14So, AN-32 has been the backbone of the Indian Air Force's tactical transport fleet for decades.
07:20And it has been one of the Indian Air Force's most important transport aircraft since the mid-1980s,
07:26particularly for operations in the northeast, Ladakh and other regions.
07:30And it has earned a reputation as a rugged aircraft capable of operating from short and challenging airstrips.
07:36And Jorhat, if we talk about Jorhat, it has been a key Indian Air Force hub in the northeast India.
07:47It's situated in Assam.
07:48But these are the visuals that are emerging from Assam's Jorhat, where this accident is being reported from,
07:54where this Indian Air Force's AN-32 aircraft crashed.
07:58What we're learning, that there was a fire in this aircraft and there was also an explosion on landing.
08:09So, the AN-32 aircrafts are twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft and it can carry crew of three members.
08:17We still don't know how many crew members were on board this aircraft.
08:22There's still no clarity on that and the rescue operations are still underway.
08:27The payload capacity is of about 6.7 tons of this aircraft.
08:32It can carry around 42 pair of troopers or about 50 passengers.
08:36It is used for cargo drops, troop transport, casualty evacuation and also disaster relief missions.
08:43In fact, there was another crash that happened in 2019 in which AN-32 was involved.
08:51And that was flying from Jorhat to Mechuga that crashed in Arunachar Pradesh and all 13 on board were killed.
08:58My colleague Anupam Mishra is also now joining us with more details on this.
09:01Anupam, what more details are we gathering regarding this AN-32 crash?
09:06Well, you know, it's a very friendly information what we are getting because the accident just had happened.
09:11The accident happened at Jorhat Air Base Airport.
09:13And according to the family information, the accident happened while landing, while this AN-32 aircraft was landing, the accident
09:23happened.
09:24And, you know, the impact of the accident was in the middle.
09:27So, you can see the visuals and pictures of the plane which crash landed at Jorhat Air Force.
09:38So, this is the basic information, family information, which we have been getting from the airport sources.
09:45And it will take time to get the details of this incident because an investigation also will happen about how
09:55did this plane crash landed at Jorhat Air Force.
09:59But primarily, what we are getting is that the accident happened while landing.
10:05Right. Anupam, and do we know how many crew members were on board?
10:09How many crew members are usually on board the AN-32 aircraft?
10:14We are yet to receive information on the crew members or any extra persons for there or not.
10:23We are yet to receive these information.
10:25This is the primary information that is being shared by the Air Force that AN-32 plane has been crash
10:36landed at Jorhat Air Force.
10:39Right. Anupam, do stay with us.
10:40So, as my colleague Anupam was pointing out, that the impact was in the middle of the aircraft.
10:44These are the visuals also of the wreckage of the plane and also the rescue operation that is still underway.
10:50This is the AN-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force.
10:53And it is an accident-prone aircraft.
10:56It has a mixed safety record.
10:58And still, it is the lifeline for remote military posts.
11:04It is one of the crucial aircrafts in the Indian Air Force.
11:08This is being reported from Jorhat in Assam.
11:11These are the visuals from there where the rescue operations still continue.
11:15There is still no clarity on how many people were on board this aircraft, AN-32.
11:20We are still waiting for a statement from the Indian Air Force.
11:25But what we are learning is that the aircraft got fired after landing and that is what led to the
11:31crash.
11:32Remember, Jorhat is a key Indian Air Force hub in northeast India where this accident has taken place.
11:37It supports logistic and air maintenance operations to forward areas.
11:41And AN-32 particularly, this particular aircraft has been the backbone of the Indian Air Force's tactical transport fleet for
11:48decades.
11:49And right now, rescue operations are underway.
11:51These are the latest visuals from Jorhat where the rescue operations still continue.
11:56And you can see these visuals, the wreckage of the plane can be seen.
12:00And what you can also make out in these visuals is that the impact was in the center, in the
12:07middle of the plane, how the plane got fired and it led to the crash.
12:14Now, the AN-32 has been one of the Indian Air Force's most important transport aircraft since the mid-1980s.
12:20But the safety record has been quite mixed.
12:23It has not been that great.
12:25It has been accident prone.
12:26In fact, in 2019 also, there was an accident involving AN-32.
12:31It was in Anunachal Pradesh and all the people who were on board were killed.
12:37So, these are the visuals from Jorhat that are emerging.
12:42This is the AN-32 aircraft that has crashed.
12:45It caught fire and then it crashed near the Jorhat airbase.
12:53So, a statement by the Indian Air Force is still expected.
12:57We still don't know how many crew members were on board on this AN-32 aircraft.
13:03But this has crashed in Jorhat.
13:05And remember, this is one of the Indian Air Force's most important transport aircraft since the mid-1980s.
13:14And it is particularly for operations in the Northeast, Ladakh and also other regions.
13:20And today, it met with an accident.
13:23And further update will be provided once more details are available.
13:28This is what the Indian Air Force is saying.
13:31Indian Air Force's statement is expected soon on how many crew members were there,
13:35how many lives have been lost in this accident.
13:39And my colleague Anupam continues to stay with us.
13:42Anupam, give us the latest details on the rescue operations that are underway.
13:47And also on the statement that has been released by the Indian Air Force.
13:52Well, initially, the official statement released by the Indian Air Force is that the accident took place at Jorhat Air
14:01Force.
14:01This is what the official group of Indian Air Force is saying,
14:06that today, AN-32 of the IAF met with an accident.
14:09Further update will be provided once more details are available.
14:13So, I'm telling you, it's a very initial stage.
14:16But I can tell you, I still think that this crash happened while landing.
14:23That is what we have been told by Air Force officials.
14:28And an investigation will also took place.
14:31But further details, more details will be awaited.
14:34I think it will take some time to get more details.
14:37But according to initial reports, the AM-32 aircraft went down within the Air Force of Station,
14:42in the Air Force of Station, in the Air Force of Station, in the Air Force of Station.
15:12The response teams were immediately deployed to the site to control the waves and access the situation.
15:18So, the cause of the crash is, I think, yet to be ascertained.
15:22And we'll have to wait for further details.
15:26Alright, Anupam, do stay with us.
15:28So, that is the statement that has been released by Eastern Command on this aircraft crash.
15:32Being reported from Jorhat in Assam that AN-32 of the Indian Air Force met with an accident.
15:38Further update will be provided once more details are available.
15:41So, we still don't know how many crew members were on board this particular aircraft that has crash landed.
15:48What my colleague Anupam was pointing out, that there's a possibility that there was a crash landing that had occurred.
15:53And which is what resulted in fire in this aircraft.
15:58So, those are the visuals.
15:59This is the aftermath.
16:00On the left, you can see the smoke from this aircraft.
16:05Those are the immediate visuals after the crash landing.
16:09And on the right, you can see the rescue operation visuals on your screens right now.
16:14So, these are the visuals, the latest visuals of the AN-32 crash from Jorhat.
16:25And remember, Jorhat is a key Indian Air Force hub in northeast India which supports logistics and air maintenance operations
16:34to forward areas.
16:35And this is the AN-32 aircraft that has been Indian Air Force's most important transport aircraft since the mid
16:41-1980s.
16:41But what is also important to note is that the track record of this plane has not been that great.
16:46It has missed safety track record.
16:49It's very accident prone.
16:50In fact, a similar accident also occurred in 2019 when all the members on board were killed.
16:57That happened in Arunachal Pradesh and it was the same aircraft, AN-32.
17:00But despite that, Air Force bets big on this AN-32 aircraft because they are lifeline for remote military posts.
17:08They regularly fly supplies to forward areas in Ladakh and also the northeast.
17:13It supports army deployments in difficult terrain.
17:15And it is extensively used during natural disasters and also for humanitarian operations.
17:21Now, the big question is that was this an isolated technical malfunction, a maintenance issue or something more systemic that
17:29investigators need to examine?
17:32Of course, those are later questions.
17:33As of now, the priority is the rescue operation.
17:36We still don't know how many members were on board this aircraft.
17:40Even those details are not out yet.
17:42We're still waiting for that statement.
17:44But as of now, what has been confirmed by the Eastern Command that the AN-32 of the Indian Air
17:48Force has crashed?
17:49What my colleague Anupam was pointing out, that there is likely that there was a crash landing.
17:56That is what resulted in a fire.
17:59We're showing you the visuals of the aftermath.
18:01Also on the left, you can see the smoke coming out from this aircraft.
18:04And on the right, the rescue operations still underway.
18:08My colleague Anupam Mishra continues to stay with us.
18:10Anupam, if we talk about the track record of AN-32, it has not been quite good.
18:16Because in 2019 also, there was an accident in which all the crew members, all the members who were on
18:23board this AN-32 were killed in an accident.
18:28Well, you know, the AN-32 aircraft basically used during the emergency evacuation or cargo type of thing or paratroopers.
18:39So, these are the things which mainly the aircraft does.
18:43So, and it has a record of, we know that...
18:46Alright, Anupam, do stay with us. We're now being joined by my colleague Gaurav Savant on the broadcast.
18:50Gaurav, this unfortunate incident being reported from Jorahat where AN-32 of the Indian Air Force has crashed.
18:57There's still no clarity on whether how many people were on board this.
19:01But these are the visuals that are emerging.
19:05So, you know, it's a very painful visual.
19:08The AN-32 is the warhorse or workhorse of the Indian Air Force.
19:13It is a medium-lift transport aircraft which was bought specifically for operations in high-altitude battlefields like Kargil, Seachin,
19:23you know, Operation Megtooth.
19:24Because on a very small runway, it can take off and land.
19:28And it's usually a transport aircraft but is also used for paradrops.
19:32The crash is very unfortunate.
19:34The cause is not...
19:35The preliminary reports seem to indicate that the aircraft was coming into land.
19:40And as it came into land, there was perhaps some kind of an error.
19:45We do not know whether it's a technical error or something else which led to the crash.
19:50Only a court of inquiry and Air Force officers say a court of inquiry will ascertain what led to this
19:55crash.
19:55But, you know, these aircraft are of an older vintage.
19:59They were bought post-1984 Operation Megtooth.
20:04Some of them have gone in for an upgrade.
20:07More upgrades are required in these aircraft.
20:10They have been replaced to a very large extent by the more modern C-130 Hercules.
20:15But given the fact that they are the workhorse of the Indian Air Force, they are used very extensively for
20:21deployment in high-altitude areas.
20:23Whether in Jammu, in Kashmir, Ladakh or in the Northeast, you know, this is really unfortunate.
20:29Details are still not known about the condition of the pilots and the AN-32.
20:36Right. And, Gaurav, despite the past accidents of the AN-32, we're learning that there was a crash in 2019
20:42and, in fact, in 2016 as well.
20:44Why does the Indian Air Force still rely so heavily on AN-32?
20:50These are very, very versatile aircraft built specifically for Indian Air Force, for requirement of the Indian Air Force, you
20:58know, by the Russians or the Soviets in that era.
21:01You know, 1984 when Operation Megtooth started in Siachen Glacier.
21:06So, you needed an aircraft which was so powerful that it could take off from a small runway or even,
21:14you know, an open area.
21:15So, it is of that vintage, extensively used by Indian Air Force.
21:21It has come in very handy.
21:23But then, you know, aircraft require a lot of maintenance and upkeep and upgrades.
21:28As Air Force, of course, officers, we've spoken to say that because of the Russia-yuk-war since 2022, initially
21:38there were some issues, you know, with certain spares and components, but they had overcome that.
21:45But for this particular reason, we will have to wait and see what led to this particular crash.
21:51But this is virtually the backbone of the Indian Air Force transport fleet until the C-130s came.
21:58The C-130J Hercules for medium-lift transport and, of course, the C-17s for the heavy lift.
22:06Those are the ones that Indian Air Force increasingly relies on.
22:10But then you also have the AN-32s.
22:12They can only fly as long as they remain airworthy.
22:16You know, there's a certain airframe existence and life extension that is given.
22:20There's a certain engine life extension that is given.
22:23But beyond that, there is a due certification process is what, you know, Indian Air Force maintenance and technical staff
22:30tell us.
22:31But then we will have to wait and see the reason for this particular crash.
22:35Right.
22:35And Gaurav, could maintenance issues be behind this crash of the AN-32?
22:43We would not know until an inquiry is conducted.
22:46That is very clear.
22:48For the simple reason that Indian Air Force has, you know, a maintenance command.
22:54They have dedicated officers and men who look after maintenance of aircraft.
22:58And only when an aircraft is declared airworthy is it permitted to fly.
23:03So, we will have to wait and see.
23:06And every air crash, you know, there is a proper investigation.
23:09You know, there is a Director General, Flight Safety and Inspections, an Air Marshal Ranked Officer who has a team.
23:16And they inspect every crash site to know every parameter.
23:20When was the aircraft last serviced?
23:22When was the maintenance carried out?
23:24What were issues in it?
23:27Before the pilot took off, what did they say?
23:29What is the conversation that they've had with the aircrew?
23:32All, you know, all of that, there is a detailed information.
23:36And only after that will we know the reason for this particular crash.
23:40Gaurav, thank you for joining us with those details.
23:43We'll keep coming back to you for more updates on the story that we're tracking.
23:46So, right now we're learning that the firefighting operations are also underway at the accident site in Jorhat.
23:52And this after AN-32 of the Indian Air Force transport aircraft met with an accident.
23:59And these are the visuals.
24:00This is the aftermath on your screens right now.
24:01The rescue operations still continue.
24:04There's still no word on how many crew members were on board this aircraft, AN-32.
24:17So, let us now understand about the Indian Air Force's AM-32 transport plane, the one that has crashed in
24:24Jorhat.
24:24It is made by Soviet and Ukrainian manufacturer Antonov.
24:28It can drop load of up to 4.5 tons in Siachen.
24:32It has suffered 19 crashes and accidents since 1984.
24:36That's a huge number.
24:3819 crashes and accidents since 1984.
24:41Second such AN-32 crash in Assam's Jorhat in last seven years.
24:46Maximum speed of 330 miles per hour.
24:50A crew speed of 292 miles per hour.
24:53Standard maximum range of 2,500 kilometer.
24:56Its listed service ceiling is 31,165 feet, which is what makes it very significant in an Air Force fleet.
25:05But what is also important to note is the number of accidents, the number of crashes.
25:09If we talk about Jorhat alone, this is the second such AN-32 crash in Jorhat in last seven years.
25:14As we've already told you about what happened in 2019 as well, when there was a similar crash in Arunachal
25:19Pradesh.
25:20That also involved AN-32, in which all the members who were on board this aircraft had been killed.
25:26In fact, another crash took place in 2016 as well.
25:29That was also AN-32.
25:31So, the track record has not been that great.
25:35In fact, we just told you that this is the second such crash that has taken place in Jorhat itself
25:40involving AN-32.
25:42If you talk about the total number of crashes, it has suffered 19 crashes and accidents since 1984.
25:49If you talk about today's crash, there's still no information on the number of pilots, the crew, the passengers, if
25:56any, in 2016.
25:58Remember, the AN-32 carrying 29 personnel disappeared over the Bay of Bengal.
26:03Wreckage was located years later.
26:06Then in 2019, there was a crash in Arunachal Pradesh involving AN-32.
26:11Now, again, what is being reported from Jorhat that the AN-32 aircraft has clashed.
26:16My colleague Shivani Sharma is now joining us with more details on this.
26:19Shivani, give us the latest update on the relief and rescue operation and if there's any information on the number
26:24of crew members or passengers who are on board this aircraft.
26:30Anjali, we are waiting for official confirmation from the Indian Air Force on the number of crew members, their situation.
26:37Are they safe or not?
26:39But as of now, what is being confirmed by the Indian Air Force is that this was the AN-32
26:43aircraft, that is the transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force,
26:46that has caught fire upon landing.
26:50The pictures which we see are quite evident and we can clearly see that the aircraft is totally damaged.
26:57It caught fire.
26:58It is totally damaged.
26:59We can also see some personnel out there.
27:01And one very important thing that I would like to point out that these pictures show that this aircraft has
27:07not landed on the strip.
27:09It is on a different patch of ground.
27:12It is inside the airbase, but it is not on the landing strip.
27:16That means it might have seen a technical glitch while landing.
27:21The pilot would have tried to land it to save the crew members on board, the people on board.
27:27And then it caught fire.
27:29But yes, the investigations and the ascertaining of the details by the Indian Air Force will give out more clarity
27:37on this aircraft.
27:38But the rescue operations are going on and the AN-32 has caught fire in Jorhad.
27:43These aircraft have been used by the Air Force for decades now, Anjali.
27:47They are old aircraft.
27:49They have been upgraded.
27:50But yes, Indian Air Force has been in need of new transport fleet.
27:57And we know that new procurements are also going on.
28:02But still, these AN-32 aircraft are being used on the front lines to ferry personnel, to ferry cargo.
28:09And not only of the Indian Air Force, Anjali, they are being used to deploy personnel from all the three
28:16services in crucial frontline areas.
28:18And this, when we talk about Jorhad Air Base, this is a place called Rauria, which is one of the
28:26most important air bases in this whole region, in the northeast region, in Assam.
28:31And AN-32, which has caught fire, was also deployed here in this particular area, which was ferrying personnel and
28:38cargo.
28:39More details are being awaited.
28:40We have to confirm the details with the Indian Air Force on what's the situation of these personnel on this
28:46craft who are traveling.
28:48But the rescue operations are going on.
28:50The Court of Enquiry has been ordered to know the reasons for this crash.
28:54And this has certainly not crashed on the strip.
28:57This has happened a little away from the landing strip.
29:01But inside the Air Force station, the Air Force base of Jorhad, where we can see the pictures of this
29:09aircraft that has actually broken into two parts.
29:12And we also see that the first part, the initial front part of this aircraft has totally gone damaged.
29:19It is totally damaged due to fire.
29:22So we have to wait.
29:23We are waiting for more information because the Air Force personnel are on ground.
29:27They are trying to rescue and know the situation of crew members who were on this aircraft and also to
29:34ascertain the details.
29:36It's very important to give out correct details in these kind of incidents, Anjali.
29:41What the confirmed details as of now we have are that the AM-32 has seen this accident today in
29:50Jorhad Air Base.
29:51That happens to be one of the major air bases, the frontline air bases of the Indian Air Force.
29:56And this AM-32 is badly damaged after fire.
30:02All right, Shivani, do stay with us.
30:03So a very important detail that was pointed out by my colleague Shivani Sharma that this plane has not landed
30:10on the airstrip.
30:11That also points towards any technical glitch that must have occurred that led to the crash landing of this aircraft
30:18and eventually the fire that must have erupted in this aircraft.
30:23Those are the visuals.
30:24This is the aftermath of this crash.
30:26This is the AN-32 of the Indian Air Force.
30:28The impact was in the middle of the aircraft.
30:31We still don't know how many crew members were on board.
30:33We're still awaiting those details.
30:35There's still no clarity on the casualties, on the deaths, on how many people in total were on board this
30:42aircraft.
30:42The rescue operations still continue.
30:45We're showing you the visuals of the rescue operation.
30:46The aftermath also in which you can see the smog coming out from this aircraft.
30:52But what is also important to note is how this aircraft did not land on the airstrip of the airbase.
30:58In fact, it's a forest area where this aircraft has landed.
31:05The wreckage is clearly visible in these visuals in which the rescue operations still continue.
31:11The official statement on the number of deaths and the number of crew members who were on board is still
31:19awaited.
31:19In fact, this is not the first time that such an accident or such a crash of AN-32 is
31:24being reported.
31:25In 2016, AN-32 carrying 29 personnel disappeared over the Bay of Bengal.
31:30Wreckage was located years after.
31:32After the 2016 crash, in January 2024, wreckage discovered off the coast of Chennai was confirmed as belonging to this
31:41ill-fated aircraft,
31:42indicating it crashed into the sea with no survivors.
31:45Then in 2019 as well, AN-32 flying from Jorhat to Mechuga crashed in Arunasar Pradesh and all 13 on
31:53board were killed.
31:54So, in 2019, there were 13 people on board this aircraft and all of them were killed in the crash
31:59which happened in Arunasar Pradesh.
32:01So, this aircraft has been used for decades and these aircrafts have been upgraded also.
32:07They are multifunctional aircraft.
32:10They are used for different purposes by the Indian Air Force, as my colleague Shivani Sharma was mentioning.
32:16But this very unfortunate incident being reported from Jorhat where this AN-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force has
32:24crashed.
32:24What we are learning is that there was a crash landing.
32:27What is also important to note as per these visuals is that the landing has not happened on the airstrip.
32:33But this is a field area where the plane has crashed and eventually that is what must have led to
32:40the fire in this aircraft.
32:42There is still no word on the number of crew members, the number of passengers, if any, who were on
32:48board.
32:49There is still no statement on that, but the rescue operations still continue.
32:53Now, several questions need to be answered.
32:56Was this a maintenance issue?
32:58Was there a technical glitch that led to this accident?
33:02That will be investigated.
33:04But as of now, the rescue, the relief and rescue operations still continue, as you can see in these visuals.
33:10We are still awaiting more details as to how many people were on board this flight.
33:15There is still no clarity on that, but this is the second time such an accident of the AN-32
33:24has happened in Jorhat.
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