India Air Ambulance Crash With 7 On Board Kills All After Takeoff — Investigation Underway
A medical air ambulance carrying seven people has crashed shortly after takeoff in eastern India, officials confirmed, marking a tragic aviation incident that has drawn national attention.
The Beechcraft C90 aircraft, operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, departed from Ranchi Airport in the state of Jharkhand around 7:11 p.m. local time on Monday evening, bound for Delhi when it went down in a rural area of Chatra district.
Officials say contact with the aircraft was lost approximately 20 minutes after takeoff, including radar and air traffic control communications. The plane was flying at about 6 000 feet and had requested a weather deviation due to poor conditions before it vanished from radar.
The air ambulance was transporting a patient in need of advanced medical care along with a crew and medical team. The manifest included two pilots, a doctor, a paramedic, two attendants, and the patient being evacuated.
Local authorities and search‑and‑rescue teams quickly moved to the crash site in Simaria (Kasaria Panchayat), deep in a forested region of Chatra. By Tuesday morning, officials had confirmed that all seven people on board were killed in the crash.
Among the victims were the pilot‑in‑command, co‑pilot, medical personnel, attendants, and the patient, whose family had arranged the air evacuation for specialised treatment in Delhi.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) have dispatched teams to investigate the cause of the accident. Early reports suggest adverse weather may have been a factor, but authorities stress a full probe will take time.
Prime Minister’s Office and state officials expressed condolences to the families of the victims as the nation mourns the loss. The tragic incident adds to recent concerns over aviation safety standards for smaller chartered and medical flights in India.
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