All seven persons onboard an air ambulance were killed after the aircraft crashed near Simaria in Jharkhand’s Chatra district on Monday (Feb 23) evening. The bodies have been shifted to Sadar Hospital in Chatra for post-mortem, officials confirmed.
The ill-fated Beechcraft C90, operated by Delhi-based non-scheduled carrier Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, was en route to Delhi from Ranchi when it went down in the Bariatu Panchayat area, located deep inside a forest. The aircraft had taken off from Ranchi at 7:11 p.m. and reportedly lost contact with air traffic control about 20 minutes later.
According to officials, radar and communication contact was lost after the aircraft established communication with Kolkata ATC at 7:34 p.m. The crash site was traced in Kasaria Panchayat of Chatra district, approximately 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi. Initial indications suggest inclement weather may have contributed to the accident, though the exact cause will be determined following a detailed investigation.
Those killed in the crash have been identified as pilot Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat, co-pilot Captain Savrajdeep Singh, Dr Vikas Kumar Gupta, paramedic Sachin Kumar Mishra, attendants Archana Devi and Dhurru Kumar, and patient Sanjay Kumar. The 41-year-old patient, a resident of Latehar district, had sustained 65 per cent burn injuries and was being shifted to Delhi for advanced treatment.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stated that an Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team is being dispatched to the crash site. Search and rescue teams from the district administration have already completed the retrieval of all bodies.
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren expressed deep sorrow over the incident and offered prayers for the deceased and their families.
