Bhubaneswar: BJD President and Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly, Naveen Patnaik, has expressed profound grief over the death of five Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel following the crash of an aircraft in Jorhat, Assam.
In a condolence message, Naveen said, “Deeply saddened to know about the tragic demise of five Indian Air Force personnel after an aircraft carrying them met with an accident in Assam’s Jorhat. My thoughts and prayers are with the grieving families during this difficult time and praying for the swift recovery of the co-pilot who survived the crash and undergoing treatment”.
The IAF personnel have lost their lives in the crash involving an AN-32 transport aircraft at the Jorhat air base in Assam. The crash occurred when the turboprop twin-engine aircraft was attempting to land at the Jorhat Air Force Station in Assam on Saturday, as per reports.
In a statement, the IAF said, “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. IAF extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and stands firmly with them in this hour of grief”.