All seven people on board an air ambulance were killed after the aircraft crashed in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, officials confirmed on Tuesday, in one of the deadliest aviation incidents in the state in recent years.
The medical charter flight, operated by Delhi-based Redbird Airways, was en route from Ranchi to Delhi when it went down on Monday evening in Kasaria Panchayat under Chatra district. The aircraft involved was a Beechcraft King Air (BE9L), commonly used for medical evacuation services.
Officials said there were seven individuals on board the flight, including two crew members. None survived the crash.
The deceased were identified as Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat, Captain Savrajdeep Singh, Dr Vikas Kumar Gupta, Sachin Kumar Mishra, Sanjay Kumar, Archana Devi and Dhuru Kumar. The passengers included a critically injured patient, accompanying relatives, and a medical professional.
According to family members, Sanjay Kumar, a resident of Chandwa in Latehar district, had suffered severe burn injuries and was being shifted to Delhi for advanced medical treatment. He had reportedly sustained nearly 65 per cent burns, and doctors had advised that treatment facilities locally were inadequate, prompting the family to arrange an air ambulance.
Sanjay’s wife and cousin accompanied him on the flight and were among those killed in the crash. His elder brother said the family opted for an air ambulance after his condition deteriorated rapidly. Relatives said the aircraft was booked around 7 pm, and the three boarded the flight shortly thereafter.
Dr Vikas Kumar Gupta, who was also on board, had recently completed his medical education and was assisting his family, according to relatives. His uncle said the family was struggling to come to terms with the sudden loss and was seeking clarity and accountability from authorities.
Officials from the local administration said emergency teams rushed to the site soon after receiving information about the crash. The Superintendent of Sadar Hospital confirmed that all seven occupants were found dead upon arrival and that procedures for formal identification were initiated.
Eyewitnesses in nearby villages reported hearing a loud explosion-like sound shortly before the wreckage was discovered. Residents said they initially suspected an accident due to the intensity of the noise and later located the crashed aircraft in a forested area.
Flight data indicated that the aircraft took off from Ranchi at 7:07 pm and became airborne at 7:11 pm. After establishing contact with Kolkata Air Traffic Control, it reportedly lost communication and radar contact at around 7:34 pm, roughly 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi. The last known location of contact was near Palamu in northwestern Jharkhand. The flight was scheduled to land in Delhi around 10 pm.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Aviation officials said technical failure, weather conditions, and operational factors would be examined as part of the probe. Further details are awaited as recovery and forensic teams continue their assessment of the crash site.
