In a fortunate turn of events, all 14 passengers aboard a small Myanmar military plane experienced a miraculous escape after the aircraft overshot the runway at Lengpui airport near Aizawl and crash-landed into a bush, officials reported on Tuesday. The passengers, including the pilot, managed to survive the incident, with eight sustaining minor injuries and receiving treatment at a local health center.
The purpose of the ill-fated flight was to transport 92 Myanmarese soldiers back to Myanmar, who had crossed into India last week following clashes with an ethnic insurgent group. The soldiers had sought refuge in Mizoram after their camp was overrun by ‘Arakan Army’ fighters.
The Y-8 cargo plane from the Myanmar air force overshot the tabletop runway at the Mizoram government-run airport around 10:20 am, crash-landing into a nearby bush and causing damage to the bottom of the fuselage. The injured passengers were promptly taken to Lengpui primary health center for treatment.
Due to the incident, the airport runway has been closed temporarily, leading to the cancellation of all flights for the day. An investigation into the accident has been ordered by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), as confirmed by a state government official.
The 276 Myanmarese soldiers who entered Mizoram last week were gradually being repatriated, with 184 sent back on Monday. The remaining 92 soldiers, part of a group headed by a colonel, were scheduled to be transported to Sittwe in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.
This incident adds to the growing number of Myanmarese soldiers seeking refuge in Mizoram. Over the past few months, a total of 635 soldiers have fled to Mizoram, escaping the capture of their camps by ethnic armed organizations and pro-democratic forces.
The Myanmarese soldiers, under the supervision of the Assam Rifles, were initially brought to Aizawl over the weekend to be repatriated from Lengpui airport. The border between Mizoram and Myanmar spans 510 kilometers, highlighting the proximity and the complex situation along the shared frontier.
Comments