All seven people aboard, two pilots, a 41-year-old burn patient with 65% injuries, his wife, nephew, a doctor and a paramedic, died when the Ranchi-to-Delhi air ambulance crashed in a forested area.
TMC expressed “profound sorrow”, extended condolences to the grieving families and urged authorities to “ascertain the precise cause”.
DGCA and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) teams have reached the site lightning and heavy rain), but a full probe is underway.
TMC Calls For ‘Thorough, Transparent’ Probe Into Jharkhand Air Ambulance Crash
Trinamool Congress demands full accountability and stronger safety protocols after a Beechcraft C90 medical evacuation flight carrying seven people plunged into a forest in Chatra district, killing everyone on board.
Summary
Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal on Tuesday called for a “thorough and transparent investigation” into the tragic crash of a private air ambulance in neighbouring Jharkhand that claimed the lives of all seven people on board.
“The tragic crash of an air ambulance in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, claiming the lives of all seven persons on board, is a matter of profound sorrow. We extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families and stand in solidarity with them in this hour of grief,” the party said in a statement posted on X.
“We urge the authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation to ascertain the precise cause of the crash, and to ensure that robust safeguards are put in place to prevent such tragedies in the future,” it added.
The Beechcraft C90 aircraft (registration VT-AJV), operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, was on a medical evacuation flight from Ranchi to Delhi. It took off from Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi at 7:11 pm IST on Monday, February 23. Roughly 20–23 minutes later, the aircraft requested deviation due to weather, lost communication with Kolkata ATC at approximately 7:34 pm and radar contact about 100 nautical miles south-east of Varanasi. It crashed in the dense forest of Bariatu/Kasaria Panchayat near Simaria in Chatra district.
Sanjay Kumar had been undergoing treatment at Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi since February 16 after a gas-cylinder explosion at his small hotel. His family had arranged the air ambulance to shift him to Delhi for advanced care.
Chatra Deputy Commissioner Keerthishree G confirmed all seven were killed. Ranchi airport director Vinod Kumar said inclement weather could have played a role, though the exact cause would be known only after investigation. A yellow weather alert had been issued for the region with reports of sudden thunder, lightning, strong winds and heavy rain.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) have launched a formal probe. Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari said the state government would examine how permission was granted for the flight in adverse weather and assured compensation to the families.
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