Tragic Air Ambulance Crash in Jharkhand Claims Seven Lives
The aircraft, a Beechcraft C90 (registration VT-AJV) operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, was transporting a patient from Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Airport to New Delhi for advanced treatment of severe burn injuries.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the flight took off at 7:11 PM. Approximately 23 minutes into the journey, the crew requested a route deviation due to worsening weather conditions. Shortly after this request, at 7:34 PM, the aircraft lost communication and radar contact with Kolkata Air Traffic Control while positioned about 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi. The wreckage was later located in the rugged terrain of the Simaria block by local villagers who reported seeing smoke rising from the forest.
The seven victims have been identified as:
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The Patient: Sanjay Kumar (41), a resident of Latehar district who was suffering from 65% burn injuries.
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Family Attendants: Archana Devi and Dhuru Kumar.
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Medical Team: Dr. Vikas Kumar Gupta and Paramedic Sachin Kumar Mishra.
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Flight Crew: Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat (Pilot-in-Command) and Captain Savrajdeep Singh (Co-pilot).
Chatra Deputy Commissioner Keerthishree G confirmed that preliminary findings suggest the crash was caused by a violent thunderstorm accompanied by heavy rain and lightning. Rescue operations were significantly hampered by the difficult terrain and ongoing adverse weather. A high-level team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been dispatched from Delhi to recover the aircraft’s "Black Box" and conduct a thorough technical investigation to determine the exact cause of the disaster.
