An air ambulance carrying seven people, including two crew members, crashed in Jharkhand’s Chatra district on Monday evening, killing all those on board. The aircraft, operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, had taken off from Ranchi and was headed to Delhi when it went down near Simaria.
According to officials, the Beechcraft C90 aircraft (VT-AJV) departed Ranchi airport at 19:11 IST as part of a medical evacuation flight. It had established initial communication with air traffic control before losing contact mid-route. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said, "After establishing contact with Kolkata at 19:34 IST, aircraft lost communication and RADAR contact with Kolkata at approximately 100 NM South-East of Varanasi."
The crash site was located in a forested area under Bariatu Panchayat in Simaria block. Chatra Deputy Commissioner Keerthishree G confirmed the fatalities, stating, "All seven on board the air ambulance were killed in the crash. The plane was on the way to Delhi from Ranchi." She added, "The aircraft went missing around 7.30 pm. It crashed at Bariatu Panchayat area in Simaria," noting that the wreckage was found deep inside a forest.
Local authorities and rescue teams were immediately mobilized. SDPO Shubham Khandelwal said that recovery efforts had been completed, with all bodies retrieved from the site. The deceased have been identified as Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat, Captain Savrajdeep Singh, Sanjay Kumar, Dr Vikas Kumar Gupta, Sachin Kumar Mishra, Archana Devi, and Dhuru Kumar.
Airport officials indicated that communication breakdown occurred shortly after standard handover procedures between air traffic control stations. Ranchi airport director Vinod Kumar said, "The plane lost contact with air traffic control around 20 minutes after takeoff." He added that weather conditions might have contributed to the incident but emphasised that conclusions would depend on an official investigation: "Inclement weather could be a reason behind the crash, but the actual cause will be ascertained only after a probe."
Sources at the airport elaborated on the sequence of events, saying, "A medical flight took off. Its contact was established with the next station, then the control was handed over to the next station. After this contact was lost. The plane did not contact the Ranchi Airport. The State has been informed about this. All necessary SOPs are being followed."
The aircraft had been arranged as an air ambulance for a critically injured patient. Anant Sinha, CEO of Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi, explained the circumstances: "The patient, Sanjay Kumar (41), a resident of Chandwa in Latehar district, was brought to the hospital with 65 per cent burn injuries on February 16." He further said, "They arranged an air ambulance on Monday. The patient left the hospital for Delhi around 4.30 pm."
The DGCA confirmed that the aircraft belonged to Delhi-based non-scheduled operator Redbird Airways, which operates a fleet of six aircraft. It also stated that an Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team is being sent to the crash site to determine the cause of the accident.
Political leaders expressed grief over the tragedy. Former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren said he was deeply saddened and offered prayers for the victims. "I pray for the deceased individuals, including the crew members aboard the plane from Marang Buru (the supreme tribal deity), and for strength to their families during this difficult time," he posted.
Authorities said that all standard procedures have been initiated following the crash, and further details are awaited as investigations begin.
(With inputs from PTI)Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
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