A medical charter aircraft operating as an air ambulance crashed in Jharkhand’s Chatra district on Monday evening, shortly after taking off from Ranchi for Delhi, triggering a large-scale rescue and investigation effort. Seven people, including two crew members, were on board the aircraft at the time of the crash.
According to officials, the Beechcraft King Air C90 aircraft (registration VT-AJV), operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, departed Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi, at 7:11 pm. The aircraft was carrying a critically ill patient along with a medical team and crew and was scheduled to land at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport around 8:30 pm.
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Contact lost mid-flight
Airport authorities said the aircraft initially established communication after take-off but lost contact at 7:34 pm while flying near Atali, around 100 nautical miles south-east of Varanasi. Both radio and radar contact were lost soon after the aircraft communicated with Kolkata air traffic control. The plane failed to re-establish contact with Varanasi ATC, raising alarm.
Ranchi Airport Director Vinod Kumar confirmed to Press Trust of India that the air ambulance "lost contact with air traffic control" before the crash was reported by the state administration.
At around 8:05 pm, the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) activated emergency protocols, following which district authorities launched search and rescue operations.
Crash site and rescue efforts
Later in the night, officials confirmed that the aircraft had crashed in a forested area under Kasaria Panchayat in the Simaria police station limits of Chatra district. The terrain, described as densely forested and hilly, has posed challenges for rescue teams trying to reach the exact crash site.
An official statement said local administration teams were already on the ground, while the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is being dispatched to conduct a formal investigation into the incident.
"There were seven persons on board including two crew members," the statement said, adding that further details would be shared as the situation develops.
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Possible causes under examination
While authorities have not confirmed the cause of the crash, preliminary inputs suggest that sudden weather deterioration in the region including heavy rain and strong winds may have affected visibility. Technical failure has also not been ruled out at this stage.
Officials stressed that it would be premature to draw conclusions until the AAIB completes its on-ground assessment and analysis of flight data and communication records.
Rescue and recovery operations are continuing, and aviation authorities are coordinating closely with district officials.
This is a developing story. More details are awaited.
