Jharkhand Air Ambulance Crash: All seven people on board a medical evacuation aircraft were killed after it crashed in Jharkhand’s Chatra district on Monday evening, officials confirmed. The air ambulance was en route from Ranchi to Delhi when it went down amid reported bad weather.
The Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd Beechcraft C90 aircraft crashed around 7:30 pm in Kasariya Panchayat under Simariya block.
Air Ambulance Loses Contact Mid-Flight
According to officials, the aircraft took off from Ranchi at 7:11 pm IST. It reportedly lost communication and radar contact with Kolkata when it was about 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi.
Superintendent of Police Sumit Kumar Agarwal said authorities received information about the crash around 10 pm. Reaching the site proved challenging due to difficult terrain.
“All seven people on board have died,” he said, adding that a team from Delhi will conduct a detailed investigation and attempt to recover the aircraft’s black box.
Bad Weather Suspected
Deputy Commissioner Keerthishree G said preliminary findings suggest adverse weather conditions may have led to the crash. “It crashed due to a thunderstorm. A team of doctors confirmed all seven onboard were dead,” she said. The victims included two crew members, a patient and the patient’s family members.
Officials emphasised that the exact cause of the crash will be determined only after a thorough probe by aviation authorities.
Family Raises Questions Over Medical Facilities
Dr Vikash Kumar Gupta, father of one of the deceased, said his son was posted at Sadar Hospital in Ranchi. He questioned the need to travel to Delhi for treatment, citing concerns over local healthcare facilities.
#WATCH | Chatra | Air Ambulance crash in Jharkhand | Father of the deceased Dr Vikash Kumar Gupta, says, “…My elder son was posted in the Sadar Hospital, Ranchi…If there had been proper health facilities here, why would they have gone to Delhi for treatment?…” pic.twitter.com/Uolg7Bj0bA
— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2026
Authorities said further investigation is underway, and a central team is expected to examine the crash site and retrieve crucial flight data for analysis.
(Via Agency Inputs)
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