Myanmar military aircraft skids off runway in Mizoram; eight injured

At least eight individuals out of the 14 on board a Myanmar Air Force cargo plane were injured when the aircraft skidded off the runway at Lengpui Airport in Mizoram, India, on Tuesday. The Shaanxi Y-8 aircraft, dispatched to evacuate 92 Myanmarese soldiers, overshot the tabletop runway known for its challenging landing conditions, resulting in the accident.

The incident unfolded around 10:30 am local time, causing the injured crew members to be promptly transported to Lengpui Primary Health Centre for treatment of minor injuries. Mizoram’s Director General of Police, Anil Shukla, stated that during the landing, the aircraft exceeded the runway, veering into the bushes, resulting in damage to the plane. Of the 14 crew members aboard, eight sustained injuries.

According to Bengvarna, the Myanmar plane was carrying soldiers escaping the Lawngtlai district, where clashes had erupted between the Myanmar army and a civilian army.

The mishap follows the evacuation of 184 Myanmarese soldiers by another aircraft from Mandalay a day earlier. The soldiers had sought refuge in Mizoram after their camps were overrun by armed pro-democracy ethnic groups.

Reports confirm that around 276 Myanmarese soldiers entered Mizoram last week, with the remaining 92 soldiers scheduled for repatriation on the ill-fated aircraft.

The incident occurred just a day after India repatriated 184 military personnel who had fled to Mizoram amid clashes with an ethnic rebel group along the Myanmar-India border. In recent months, Mizoram has witnessed multiple incidents of Myanmarese soldiers seeking refuge after their camps were seized by various armed groups.