On Thursday, during a routine evening sortie over Assam, a Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter jet of the Indian Air Force crashed in the rugged hills of Karbi Anglong district, killing both pilots on board.
On Friday morning, the Indian Air Force confirmed that two of its personnel, Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar, had died in the crash.
âIAF acknowledges the loss of Sqn Ldr Anuj and Flt Lt Purvesh Duragkar, who sustained fatal injuries in the Su-30 crash. All personnel of the IAF express sincere condolences and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief,â the IAF said in a statement.
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IAF acknowledges the loss of Sqn Ldr Anuj and Flt Lt Purvesh Duragkar, who sustained fatal injuries in the Su-30 crash. All personnel of the IAF express sincere condolences, and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief.@DefenceMinIndia@SpokespersonMoD⊠pic.twitter.com/zUtfUJ2ewr
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 6, 2026
How the rescue operation unfolded
Notably, the aircraft had taken off from the air force station in Jorhat as part of a training mission. According to the Air Force, contact with the jet was lost at approximately 7:42 pm on Thursday evening, shortly after it had begun its sortie.
What followed was an urgent search and rescue operation across the mountainous terrain of Karbi Anglong, nearly 60 kilometres from the Jorhat airbase. Rescue teams were deployed immediately after communication with the aircraft was severed.
The crash site lies in the remote Bokajan sub-division of Karbi Anglong, surrounded by thick forest cover and difficult terrain. The district police officials noted that villagers reported hearing a loud crashing sound that echoed through the hills late in the evening.
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Through the night, rescue teams worked their way through the challenging terrain to locate the wreckage and assess the situation. The operation was complicated by darkness and the difficult landscape, but authorities continued the search with urgency.
By Friday morning, the Indian Air Force issued an official statement confirming the loss of the two officers and expressing condolences to their families.
The Sukhoi Su-30 MKI is among the most advanced and powerful fighter aircraft in the Indian Air Forceâs fleet, widely used for both operational deployments and training exercises.
