A tragic incident involving an air ambulance in Jharkhand’s Chatra district occurred on Monday, resulting in the deaths of all seven individuals aboard, including two crew members. The Beechcraft C90 aircraft operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd was conducting a medical evacuation flight from Ranchi to Delhi when it went down in Kasariya Panchayat, within the Simariya block, around 7:30 PM.

Dr. Vikash Kumar Gupta, the father of one of the deceased, expressed his anguish, stating, “My elder son was posted in Sadar Hospital, Ranchi. If there had been proper health facilities here, why would they have gone to Delhi for treatment?” His sentiments highlight the ongoing concerns regarding the availability of adequate healthcare services in the region.

Investigation Launched into Crash Details

Chatra Superintendent of Police, Sumit Kumar Agarwal, confirmed the fatalities and stated that authorities were alerted around 10 PM about the incident. He noted the challenging terrain which complicated rescue efforts. “The Delhi team will come here for the investigation and try to recover the black box. The total number of deaths is seven,” Agarwal said.

Deputy Commissioner Keerthisree G mentioned that initial assessments suggest adverse weather conditions may have contributed to the crash. “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,” she added.

Flight Details and Communication Loss

According to officials, the aircraft departed from Ranchi at 7:11 PM IST and lost both communication and radar contact with Kolkata approximately 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi. Statements from the authorities indicate that further investigation into these circumstances is ongoing.

Deputy Commissioner Keerthisree G emphasized that while preliminary assessment points towards bad weather as a likely cause, a thorough investigation by aviation authorities will ultimately determine the exact reasons behind the disaster.

Next Steps in Investigation Process

A team from Delhi is expected to arrive at the crash site later today to initiate a detailed inquiry and to retrieve the black box. This investigation is anticipated to provide more clarity on the events leading up to the crash and potentially inform safety measures for future air ambulance operations.

Long or Short, get news the way you like. No ads. No redirections. Download Newspin and Stay Alert, The CSR Journal Mobile app, for fast, crisp, clean updates!

App Store –  https://apps.apple.com/in/app/newspin/id6746449540 

Google Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inventifweb.newspin&pcampaignid=web_share