Tragic Crash of Medical Evacuation Flight in Jharkhand Claims Seven Lives
A medical evacuation flight operating from Ranchi to Delhi met with a devastating crash in Jharkhand's Chatra district on Monday evening, resulting in the tragic loss of all seven individuals onboard. The aircraft had requested a deviation from its planned route due to adverse weather conditions shortly after departure, before vanishing from radar screens less than thirty minutes into the flight.
Timeline of the Fatal Incident
The ill-fated aircraft took off from Ranchi at 7:11 PM, embarking on its critical medical mission to Delhi. According to sources from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), contact with the flight was abruptly lost at 7:34 PM, approximately twenty-three minutes after takeoff. The last known position was about 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi, indicating a sudden and catastrophic event.
Ranchi Airport authorities confirmed that the aircraft had established initial communication with Kolkata Air Traffic Control (ATC) and specifically requested a deviation from its flight path due to encountering severe bad weather. This request was made shortly before the aircraft disappeared from radar tracking, highlighting the challenging atmospheric conditions at the time.
Victims and Immediate Aftermath
The seven souls lost in this tragedy included the two pilots operating the flight, a patient identified as Sanjay Kumar, Dr. Vikash Kumar Gupta who was providing medical care, paramedic S.K. Mishra, and two attendants accompanying the patient. Their identities underscore the flight's urgent medical purpose, adding a layer of profound sorrow to the incident.
Villagers residing in the Kasariya Panchayat area within Simariya block reported hearing a loud, explosive bang in the night sky, followed by the sight of a large object spiraling uncontrollably downward. Upon investigating, they discovered the scattered debris of the aircraft and promptly alerted local authorities, who swiftly initiated standard emergency response protocols to locate the crash site.
Official Response and Investigation
Deputy Commissioner Keerthishree G. stated that preliminary assessments suggest a thunderstorm may have been a contributing factor to the crash. However, she emphasized that the exact cause will only be determined following a thorough and comprehensive investigation by aviation experts.
Shubham Khandelwal, the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Simaria, confirmed the grim recovery of all seven victims' bodies from the wreckage. In response to the disaster, a specialized team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been dispatched to the crash site, alongside authorities from Delhi. Their primary objectives include conducting a detailed forensic analysis of the wreckage and recovering the aircraft's black box, which contains crucial flight data and cockpit voice recordings essential for understanding the sequence of events.
Context and Recent Aviation Incidents
This tragic event marks the second fatal small aircraft crash in India within a single month, casting a shadow over aviation safety protocols. It follows the January 28 crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, which claimed the lives of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four other individuals. The recurrence of such incidents within a short timeframe raises significant concerns and underscores the urgent need for rigorous safety evaluations and potential enhancements in operational procedures for medical and small aircraft flights across the country.
The investigation by the AAIB is expected to be meticulous, examining all possible factors including weather patterns, aircraft maintenance records, pilot communications, and technical performance. The findings will be critical not only for providing closure to the grieving families but also for implementing preventive measures to avert similar tragedies in the future.
