A medical evacuation flight en route from Ranchi to Delhi ended in tragedy on Monday night when a Beechcraft C90 aircraft went down in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, killing all seven people on board, including a critically ill patient.
The aircraft, bearing registration VT-AJV and operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, had taken off from Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi at 7:11 p.m. The flight was headed to Delhi with a patient requiring advanced treatment when it encountered challenging weather conditions mid-route.
Ranchi-Delhi Air Ambulance Crash: Crew Sought Route Change
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the crew had established contact with Kolkata air traffic control and ‘requested deviation due to weather’ shortly before communication was severed, reported The Hindustan Times. The aircraft subsequently disappeared from both radio and radar screens.
Officials reported that by 7:34 p.m., the plane was no longer visible on Kolkata radar, roughly 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi. Attempts to reconnect with Varanasi and Lucknow air traffic control units did not succeed. A later radar replay suggested the final trace of the aircraft was logged at 7:22 p.m.
Ranchi airport director Vinod Kumar indicated that unfavourable weather conditions may have played a role, but emphasized that only a thorough investigation would determine the definitive cause.
Crash Site Located In Forested Terrain
Chatra Deputy Commissioner Keerthishree G said the aircraft was reported missing around 7:30 p.m. It was later found crashed in Bariatu Panchayat under Simaria block, a densely wooded area that complicated access for emergency teams, as per PTI.
Rescue personnel reached the site and confirmed there were no survivors. Those killed in the crash were identified as Captains Vivek Vikas Bhagat and Savrajdeep Singh, Dr. Vikas Kumar Gupta, patient Sanjay Kumar, Sachin Kumar Mishra, Archana Devi, and Dhuru Kumar.
Patient Was Being Shifted For Advanced Care
Sanjay Kumar, 41, had been undergoing treatment at Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi after suffering severe burn injuries earlier this month. His family had arranged the air ambulance transfer to Delhi in hopes of securing specialised medical care.
Hospital CEO Anant Sinha confirmed that Kumar departed the facility at approximately 4:30 p.m. for the onward journey.
The DGCA noted that Redbird Airways operates a fleet of six aircraft, including the one involved in the crash. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has sent a team to conduct a detailed probe into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren offered condolences on social media, expressing grief over the loss of lives and praying for strength for the bereaved families.
