A tragic air ambulance crash in Jharkhand has claimed seven lives, including a critically ill patient, medical staff, and pilots. The incident occurred shortly after takeoff from Ranchi, the state capital, en route to Delhi for advanced treatment.
The Beechcraft C90 aircraft, operated by Red Bird Airways Private Limited, was carrying Sanjay Kumar, a hotel owner from Latehar district’s Chandwa area. Sanjay had suffered 55-65% burns in a fire on February 16 and was being airlifted from a private hospital in Ranchi. Accompanying him were his wife, nephew, a doctor, and a paramedic, along with the pilot and co-pilot.
Villagers near Karmatand in Chatra district heard a massive explosion around 7:34 PM on February 23. Rushing to the forested crash site, they discovered the wreckage and alerted authorities. Local accounts describe a deafening blast that echoed for kilometers, drawing residents from as far as 3.5 km away.
Chatra’s Superintendent of Police Sumit Kumar Agrawal and Deputy Commissioner Kirti Shree led the response. Rescue teams, aided by villagers, recovered all seven bodies from the debris. Forensic experts are investigating, while the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a probe.
Flight data reveals the plane departed Ranchi at 7:11 PM IST, requested a route change due to bad weather after contacting Kolkata ATC, and vanished from radar 100 nautical miles southeast of Kolkata. Sadar Hospital Superintendent Pankaj Kumar confirmed all aboard were deceased upon arrival, though formal identification is pending.
Sanjay’s brother Vijay and uncle expressed devastation, noting the family’s desperate bid for better care in Delhi after his condition deteriorated. This heartbreaking crash underscores the risks of air medical evacuations in challenging terrains and weather, leaving a community in mourning.