The Indian Air Force's new C-130J aircraft crashed near Gwalior.
The Indian Air Force's new C-130J aircraft crashed near Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh after taking off from Agra this morning. All five air force personnel on board were killed.
Following the incident, Air Force Chief Arup Raha said that a thorough enquiry will be conducted into the accident.
Following is the full press statement:It is very unfortunate that we have lost five of our brave warriors in a tragic accident today. It is a sad moment for all of us and we share the grief with the family members.
C-130J is a modern aircraft which was inducted into the IAF in 2010. In the last three years of its operations we have exploited capabilities of this aircraft during Uttarakhand floods and landing at DBO, which is the highest landing ground in the world. Needless to say, that the best pilots have been chosen to fly these aircraft.
Events like these are painful reminders of the inherent risks which our brave air warriors face in the execution of our daily mission. While the IAF will conduct a thorough enquiry into the accident to ascertain exactly what led to this accident, the IAF remains committed to provide the best possible equipment and training to our personnel so that they can execute their assigned missions professionally.