Tragic Air Ambulance Crash Claims Seven Lives in Jharkhand
Fatal Incident in Jharkhand
Ranchi: A tragic air ambulance accident occurred near Simaria in Jharkhand's Chatra district on Monday evening, resulting in the deaths of all seven individuals aboard. The aircraft was en route to Delhi from Ranchi when it crashed shortly after takeoff at 7:11 PM, as confirmed by a senior government official.
Chatra Deputy Commissioner Keerthisree G reported that the aircraft lost contact around 7:30 PM and went down in the Bariatu Panchayat area, which is situated deep within a forest.
According to SDPO Shubham Khandelwal, the bodies of the seven victims have been recovered and identified as Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat, Captain Savrajdeep Singh, Sanjay Kumar, Dr. Vikas Kumar Gupta, Sachin Kumar Mishra, Archana Devi, and Dhuru Kumar.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) noted that Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, based in Delhi, operates a fleet of six aircraft, including the one involved in this incident.
Anant Sinha, CEO of Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi, explained that the air ambulance was arranged for a patient who had suffered severe burn injuries. Sanjay Kumar, a 41-year-old from Chandwa in Latehar district, was being treated at the hospital and was scheduled for transfer to Delhi for advanced care.
Former Chief Minister and BJP leader Champai Soren expressed his sorrow over the crash on social media, offering prayers for the deceased and their families.
Ranchi airport director Vinod Kumar indicated that the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control approximately 20 minutes after takeoff. He suggested that adverse weather conditions might have contributed to the crash, although a thorough investigation will determine the exact cause.
The DGCA confirmed that the Beechcraft C90 aircraft, operating a medical evacuation flight, crashed in Kasaria Panchayat of Chatra district. The aircraft took off from Ranchi at 19:11 IST and lost communication with Kolkata at around 19:34 IST, approximately 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi.
Search and rescue teams from the district administration have reached the crash site, and an Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team is being dispatched to conduct a detailed investigation.