Over 8 Injured After Myanmar Military Plane Crash-Lands at Mizoram Airport

The aircraft had arrived in Mizoram to pick up Myanmar Army personnel who had fled to India.

A Myanmar military plane crashed at Lengpui Airport in Mizoram's Aizawl on Tuesday, 23 January.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

A Myanmar military plane crashed at Lengpui Airport in Mizoram's Aizawl on Tuesday, 23 January.

Details: The aircraft overshot the runway and got damaged after crossing over onto the surrounding low-land.

• Over 14 people were onboard the military plane, including the pilot.

• At least eight people suffered non-critical injuries and have been admitted to Lengpui Primary Health Centre for treatment.

• No casualties were reported.

"The Airport runway is temporarily closed for the time being and all flights have been cancelled for today as informed by Air Traffic Control Room Lengpui,"an official press release read following the crash.

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)

Why it matters: According to the press release, the aircraft had arrived in Aizawl to pick up Myanmar Army personnel who had fled to India after a gunfight with an ethnic insurgent group called the 'Arakan Army'.

Of note: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday, 20 January, had announced that the central government would fence the Myanmar border, restricting free movement into India.

By the numbers: Over 276 Myanmar Army personnel had entered Mizoram last week, according to a report by Hindustan Times.

• Around 184 of them were sent back to Myanmar on Monday, 22 January.

• The remaining 92 soldiers were to be repatriated on Tuesday, 23 January.

• Over 255 soldiers flew back to Myanmar via their Air Force planes earlier this month.

• 104 Myanmar Army personnel were repatriated from Manipur's border town of Moreh in November 2023.