A routine medical evacuation spiraled into catastrophe when a Red Bird Airways air ambulance crashed in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, erasing seven lives in an instant. The flight, meant to ferry burn victim Sanjay Kumar from Ranchi to Delhi, lasted a mere 23 minutes before plummeting near Simaria, leaving families in ruins.
Eight days prior, fire ravaged Sanjay’s dhaba in Latehar’s Chandwa, engulfing the 41-year-old in flames that charred 65% of his body. After fruitless treatment at Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi, his kin borrowed 8 lakh rupees to charter the air ambulance, dreaming of recovery in the capital.
Boarding at 7:10 PM, the chopper carried Sanjay, wife Archana, nephew Dhruv, two pilots, Dr. Vikas Gupta—a Ranchi-based anesthesia expert—and paramedic Sachin Mishra. ATC lost radar and radio contact at 7:34 PM. Wreckage in Simaria confirmed the worst: no survivors.
Dr. Gupta’s death hits hard. Serving at Sadar Hospital, the specialist leaves his SBI-employed wife and young son behind. Hailing from Bihar but rooted in Jharkhand, his expertise in critical care was renowned. Preliminary reports hint at sudden mechanical issues amid challenging terrain.
This crash exposes glaring gaps in air ambulance oversight in India. Families who scraped together fortunes for a sliver of hope now face endless grief. Aviation authorities have launched a probe, but for the bereaved, answers can’t mend shattered lives. Jharkhand mourns as questions swirl over safety protocols for such vital services.