New Delhi:  Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief B.S. Dhanoa on Monday said that the An-32 transport aircraft will continue to fly in the mountains as there was no other option. The statement by the IAF chief comes more than a fortnight after An-32 aircraft with 13 IAF personnel onboard crashed in Arunachal Pradesh.

Dhanoa was addressing a press conference in Gwalior during a commemoration to mark 20 years of the Kargil war.

He said “AN-32 aircraft will continue to fly in mountainous areas, we don't have any replacement.”

He said that the Force is in the process of getting a more modern aircraft. When the IAf will get it, it will be put to critical roles while the An-32 will be taken out and will be assigned for routine transport and training roles.

"Like the Avro 748 transport aircraft, which is around 55 years old now. An old age aircraft, it is not flying to extreme environments. Similarly, when the new aircraft comes, it will take An-32's role and An-32 will be taken off. But right now we do not have a choice, An-32 will continue to fly in the mountains," the Air Force Chief said.

The June 3 crash in Arunachal Pradesh was the third An-32 crash in recent years. All 13 air-warriors on board the transport aircraft died in the crash in a heavily forested mountainous area in Arunachal Pradesh this month.

In 2016, an aircraft with 29 people onboard disappeared over the Bay of Bengal and was never found.

Before that in June 2009, another aircraft went missing and was later found to have crashed in the jungles of Arunachal Pradesh.

(with inputs from agencies)