Air Ambulance Crash in Jharkhand Claims 7 Lives, Victim Had 65% Burns

Air Ambulance Crash in Jharkhand: 7 Fatalities and Ongoing Investigation

Key Figures:

• 65%: Burn injuries suffered by the patient, Sanjay Kumar, prior to the air ambulance crash.
• 7: Number of fatalities in the crash, including the patient, two pilots, and medical staff.
• February 16: Date Sanjay Kumar was brought to Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi with 65% burn injuries.
• 4:30 pm: Time Sanjay Kumar left Devkamal Hospital for Delhi on the air ambulance.
• 7:11 pm: Time the aircraft took off from Ranchi.
• 19:34 IST: Time the crew requested a deviation due to weather, shortly before communication and radar contact were lost.

Incident Summary

Read also: Indian Space Industry Stocks Gain Momentum: Three Companies to Watch

On Monday evening, a Beechcraft C90 aircraft operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd crashed in a forested area near Simaria in Jharkhand's Chatra district while on a medical evacuation flight from Ranchi to Delhi. The aircraft was carrying a patient with 65% burn injuries, two pilots, and medical staff.

Background

The patient, Sanjay Kumar (41), a resident of Chandwa in Latehar district, was being treated at Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi before being transferred to Delhi for specialized care. The family arranged an air ambulance on Monday, and the patient left the hospital at 4:30 pm.

Investigation

Read also: Kumar Mangalam Birla to Address Concluding Function of RSS Training Camp

An investigation into the cause of the crash is underway, with an Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau team dispatched to the site. Officials have indicated that weather conditions may have played a role, although the exact cause will be determined after a detailed probe.

Deceased

The identities of the deceased have been confirmed as:

• Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat
• Captain Savrajdeep Singh
• Sanjay Kumar
• Dr Vikas Kumar Gupta
• Sachin Kumar Mishra
• Archana Devi
• Dhuru Kumar