Rajnath Singh salutes IAF personnel, meets families

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday paid tributes to five of the 13 Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel who died in an An-32 crash in Arunachal Pradesh on June 3.

The Minister laid wreaths on the coffins wrapped in tricolour at the technical area of the Palam airport and met the distraught family members.

All 13 people on board died when the Russian-built transporter crashed while flying from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh.

"Paid tributes to brave air-warriors who lost their lives in the unfortunate An-32 crash," he tweeted.

"They served the nation with confidence and courage. I salute their sacrifice in the line of duty.

"Met with the families and friends of the deceased and shared my grief and heartfelt condolences with them.

"My thoughts and prayers are with them. May God give them strength to bear this monumental loss," the Minister said.

Eighteen days after the crash, the IAF recovered six bodies and seven mortal remains and these were brought to Jorhat in Assam.

On Thursday, Air Marshal R.D. Mathur, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command, paid tributes to the dead at a wreath laying ceremony in Jorhat.