A medical evacuation flight operating as an air ambulance met with disaster on Monday evening when it crashed in a forested area of Jharkhand’s Chatra district, resulting in the deaths of all seven individuals aboard.
The Beechcraft C90 aircraft, registered VT-AJV and operated by Delhi-based Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, departed from Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Airport at 7:11 pm IST, bound for Delhi. It carried two crew members and five others, including a patient being transferred for advanced treatment.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the plane established contact with Kolkata Air Traffic Control shortly after takeoff. At approximately 7:34 pm IST, the crew requested a deviation from their route due to adverse weather conditions. Communication and radar contact were then lost, with the aircraft’s last known position about 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi.
The wreckage was located in the Bariatu Panchayat area of Simaria block, deep within a forest in Kasaria (or Kasariya) Panchayat. Chatra Deputy Commissioner Keerthishree G confirmed to PTI that all seven on board perished in the incident. Rescue teams from the district administration recovered the bodies, which have been identified as pilots Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat and Captain Savrajdeep Singh; patient Sanjay Kumar (41); doctor Vikas Kumar Gupta; paramedic Sachin Kumar Mishra; and attendants Archana Devi and Dhuru Kumar.
The patient, a resident of Chandwa in Latehar district, had suffered 65% burn injuries and was admitted to Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi on February 16. His family arranged the air ambulance transfer to Delhi for further care, with the patient leaving the hospital around 4:30 pm, according to hospital CEO Anant Sinha.
Ranchi Airport Director Vinod Kumar noted that contact with air traffic control was lost roughly 20 minutes after departure, suggesting inclement weather as a possible factor, though the exact cause awaits a formal investigation. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has dispatched a team to the site, while district search and rescue operations are underway.
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister and BJP leader Champai Soren expressed condolences on X, praying for the deceased—including the crew—and offering strength to their grieving families.
This incident underscores the risks involved in medical evacuation flights, particularly in challenging weather. Authorities have briefed the state government, and all standard protocols are being followed as the probe continues.