Tragic Air Ambulance Crash in Jharkhand Claims Seven Lives

Fatal Incident in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Feb 24: A devastating air ambulance crash occurred near Simaria in the Chatra district of Jharkhand, resulting in the deaths of all seven individuals on board.

The Beechcraft C90, operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, was traveling from Ranchi to Delhi when it went down on Monday evening in the Bariatu Panchayat area, which is situated deep within a forest. Tragically, all seven passengers, including two pilots, lost their lives.

The victims have been named as Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat, Captain Savrajdeep Singh, Sanjay Kumar, Dr. Vikas Kumar Gupta, Sachin Kumar Mishra, Archana Devi, and Dhuru Kumar.

Officials confirmed that the bodies have been transported to Sadar Hospital in Chatra for post-mortem examinations, and an investigation into the crash is currently underway.

The aircraft took off from Ranchi airport at 7:11 PM and lost contact approximately 20 minutes later, around 7:30 PM.

Vinod Kumar, the director of Ranchi airport, suggested that adverse weather conditions might have contributed to the crash, although a thorough investigation will determine the exact cause.

Jharkhand's Health Minister, Irfan Ansari, announced that the state government will investigate how the aircraft was permitted to fly in such poor weather conditions. He also assured that the families of the deceased would receive appropriate compensation.

Anant Sinha, CEO of Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi, mentioned that the air ambulance was arranged for one of their patients.

Sanjay Kumar, a resident of Chandwa in Latehar district, had been admitted to the hospital with severe burn injuries on February 16 and was under treatment.

The community in Chatra district is mourning the loss, with family members of the victims expressing their shock and sorrow.

Bajrangi Prasad, the father of Dr. Vikas Kumar Gupta, shared his heartbreak, stating he had sacrificed everything to support his son's medical career. Dr. Gupta was serving at Sadar Hospital in Ranchi and left behind a seven-year-old son.

Family members of Sanjay Kumar, aged 41, criticized the inadequate healthcare infrastructure, claiming that better treatment could have saved lives. They lamented the loss of both Sanjay and his sister, Archana Devi, in the crash.

An Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team has been dispatched to the site of the crash. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Redbird, based in Delhi, operates a fleet of six aircraft, including the one involved in this tragic incident.