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Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh pays tribute to the victims of the AN-32 crash, after their mortal remains were brought at AFS Palam in New Delhi on Friday. (PTI)[/caption]
New Delhi, June 21 (IANS): 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.
Wing Commander Charles cremated with full military honours
Wing Commander G M Charles, who piloted the AN-32 aircraft which crashed in Arunachal Pradesh on June 3, was cremated with full military honours in the presence of senior officials of the Indian Air Force and district administration here on Friday.
Charles, survived by his wife and eight-year old daughter, was cremated at the Garmur Crematorium and his funeral pyre was lit by his batchmate Rakesh.
The Wing Commander, who hailed from Pune, had lost his parents at an early age and his immediate family members present at Jorhat decided to cremate him here.
Station head of IAF Station at Jorhat Air Commodore S K Verma, Jorhat Deputy Commissioner Roshni Korati, Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Nimbalkar and senior Indian Air Force and army officers were present at the crematorium and laid wreaths on the air warrior while four rounds of gun salute were also fired to honour him.
The Wing Commander and 12 other IAF personnel were killed when the AN-32 aircraft in which they were flying to Mechuka from Jorhat Air Force station crashed near Mechuka along Indo-China border on June three last.
The mortal remains of the 12 other IAF personnel were flown to New Delhi last night.