Chatra (Jharkhand):A medical mission of hope ended in a devastating tragedy on Monday evening when an air ambulance, carrying a critically injured patient to Delhi, crashed in the dense forests of Jharkhand’s Chatra district. Officials have confirmed that all seven people on board the aircraft perished in the accident, which occurred shortly after the flight departed from Ranchi.
The aircraft, a Beechcraft C90 operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, took off from Birsa Munda Airport at 7:11 PM.What was intended to be a life-saving journey lasted barely twenty minutes before the plane lost contact with Air Traffic Control. The wreckage was eventually located in the remote, forested terrain of the Bariatu Panchayat area in Simaria.
At the heart of this tragedy was 41-year-old Sanjay Kumar, a resident of Latehar district who was fighting for his life.Kumar had been undergoing treatment for 65 percent burn injuries in Ranchi since mid-February. Because his condition was too fragile for the long and bumpy journey by road, his family made the difficult decision to arrange an emergency air transfer to a specialized facility in the capital. This was a significant financial undertaking for the family, who had reportedly borrowed money to afford the flight in a desperate bid to give him a better chance at recovery.
District authorities, led by Deputy Commissioner Keerthishree G, confirmed that there were no survivors at the crash site.Sub-Divisional Police Officer Shubham Khandelwal stated that all seven bodies were recovered and sent for post-mortem examinations. Among the deceased were the flight crew, Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat and Captain Savrajdeep Singh; the medical team, Dr. Vikas Kumar Gupta and Sachin Kumar Mishra; and the patient, Sanjay Kumar, along with his relatives Archana Devi and Dhuru Kumar.
While a formal investigation is underway, early reports point toward treacherous weather conditions as a potential factor.Local residents in the Simaria region described a violent storm at the time of the crash, citing heavy rain, lightning, and powerful winds. Some witnesses reported hearing a massive sound amid the storm before the aircraft went down.According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft was maintaining contact with regional control before radar signals vanished at approximately 7:34 PM.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is now heading a probe into the incident. Investigators will focus on the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder to determine if the crash was caused by mechanical failure, weather-induced pilot disorientation, or a combination of factors.
In the wake of the accident, Jharkhand Health Minister Dr. Irfan Ansari visited Chatra to review the situation with district officials. He expressed deep condolences and assured that the state government would provide necessary assistance and compensation to the bereaved families. As the region mourns, the tragedy has raised urgent questions regarding the safety protocols of private air ambulance services operating during extreme weather, leaving a community in shock and families searching for answers.
