In a heartbreaking aviation mishap, a medical charter flight from Ranchi to Delhi crashed in Chatra district, killing all seven aboard. The Redbird Airways Beechcraft C90, registration VT-AJV, departed Ranchi at 19:11 hours but lost radar contact around 19:34 near Varanasi, approximately 100 nautical miles southeast.
Pilots Captain Vivek Vikas Bilagat and Captain Sandeep Singh were accompanied by patient Sanjay Kumar, his attendants Archana Devi and Dhruv Kumar, physician Dr. Vikas Kumar Gupta, and paramedic Sachin Kumar Mishra. The crash occurred in the remote Kasaria Panchayat area of Simaria, where locals first spotted wreckage including engine parts.
DGCA’s official statement detailed the sequence: takeoff from Ranchi, handover to Kolkata ATC, followed by sudden silence. No further communication ensued, triggering an urgent alert to Jharkhand authorities. Search and rescue teams from the district administration are on-site, combing the area for clues.
The AAIB investigation is underway, examining possibilities like mechanical failure or poor weather. This event echoes recent charter flight concerns, raising questions about oversight in non-scheduled operations. Ranchi airport has implemented heightened safety measures, while grieving relatives demand swift accountability.
As the probe deepens, this tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the risks in air medical transport, urging regulators to bolster standards for life-saving missions across India’s vast terrain.