Air Ambulance Crashes in Jharkhand Forest, All Seven On Board Killed
In a tragic aviation incident, an air ambulance bound for New Delhi from Ranchi crashed in a forested area near Karmatand village in Chatra district, Jharkhand, on Monday evening, resulting in the deaths of all seven individuals on board. The aircraft, a Beechcraft C90 operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd with registration VT-AJV, lost contact with air traffic control shortly after takeoff and went down in a remote region, sparking a major search and rescue operation.
Timeline of the Fatal Crash
The ill-fated medical evacuation flight took off from Ranchi at 7:11 PM IST. According to officials, it maintained initial contact with air traffic control before being handed over to subsequent stations. However, at approximately 7:34 PM IST, the aircraft lost both communication and radar contact with Kolkata air traffic control, about 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi. The crash was confirmed around 10 PM after villagers reported hearing a loud explosion-like sound and seeing an object fall from the sky, leading to the discovery of debris in the forested zone.
Official Statements and Investigation
Deputy Commissioner Keerthishree G stated that, prima facie, the crash appears to have been caused by a thunderstorm, though a detailed investigation is underway to confirm the exact cause. She confirmed, "It crashed due to a thunderstorm. Unfortunately, the team of doctors found them dead. The total number of people is seven. Two were crew members, and the remaining five were a patient and the patient's family members." SP Sumit Kumar Agarwal echoed this, noting the challenging terrain hindered initial response efforts and that a team from Delhi would arrive to investigate and recover the black box.
Victims and Response Efforts
The victims included two crew members: Capt Vivek Vikas Bhagat and Capt Savrajdeep Singh. The passengers were identified as Dr Vikash Kumar Gupta, paramedic Sachin Kumar Mishra, patient Sanjay Kumar (41) who was suffering from burn injuries and referred to Delhi from Devkamal hospital in Ranchi, along with attendants Archana Devi and Dhuru Kumar. Following the crash, the Kolkata ATC issued a high alert and initiated search and rescue protocols, mobilizing teams from the district administration, local police, and disaster response units to comb the forest area.
Probe and Regulatory Actions
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a probe into the incident, with a team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) being dispatched to the crash site. In a press note, the DGCA detailed that the aircraft had requested a deviation due to weather before losing contact. Authorities are focusing on retrieving the black box to gather more data on the sequence of events leading to the tragedy.
Context and Impact
This crash highlights the risks associated with medical evacuation flights, especially in adverse weather conditions. The incident has drawn attention to aviation safety protocols and the challenges of operating in remote, forested regions. As investigations continue, the aviation community and public await further updates to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
