A Delhi-bound air ambulance which took off from Ranchi on Monday night crashed in Chatra district of Jharkhand, killing all seven people on board, including a patient being shifted for treatment. The aircraft crashed within 23 minutes of taking off from Ranchi after losing contact with air traffic control, reported Hindustan Times.
According to PTI, Chatra deputy commissioner Keerthishree G confirmed the deaths of all seven members onboard the aircraft, including the crew.
The deceased have been identified as Sanjay Kumar (41), a patient who had sustained 63% burn injuries and was being transported for advanced treatment, Dr. Vikas Kumar Gupta, paramedic Sachin Kumar Mishra, two attendants Archana Devi and Dhuru Kumar, and the two pilots, Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat and Captain Savrajdeep Singh.
What Happened From Takeoff To Crash ?
The aircraft that crashed in Ranchi has been identified as a Beechcraft C90 aircraft (registration VT-AJV). The flight was operated by Delhi-based Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, and departed from Ranchi's Birsa Munda Airport at 7:11 pm.
The Hindustan Times report quoted the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) saying after establishing contact with the Kolkata tower, the aircraft requested a route deviation due to weather conditions. At 7:34 pm, the air ambulance lost communication and radar contact with the Kolkata tower when it was approximately 100 nautical miles south-east of Varanasi.
After losing contact with Kolkata, the aircraft did not establish communication with either Varanasi ATC or Lucknow ATC.
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A radar replay conducted in Varanasi showed that the last radar signal was recorded at 7:22 pm.
Ranchi airport director Vinod Kumar stated that bad weather could have been a possible reason behind the crash. However, he added that the exact cause would be known only after a detailed investigation.
The airline, Redbird Airways was founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Akshay Kumar. The air operator permit to operate non-scheduled services, including chartered flights and air ambulances, was received in August 2019 .
According to the company's website, accessed by The Hindustan Times, the airline provides round-the-clock air ambulance services for medical evacuation. The aircraft are equipped with advanced life-saving equipment and are staffed with doctors and medical attendants.
ALSO READ: Jharkhand: All Seven On Board Ranchi-Delhi Air Ambulance Killed In Crash
According to the airline, it has seven aircraft in its fleet, including the one that crashed in Chatra.
The airline's fleet includes Embraer Legacy 600, Dassault Falcon 2000, Hawker 850XP, Beechcraft Premier 1, Cessna Citation III-650, Cessna Citation XL560, and King Air C90 aircraft.
The crash comes a month after a Learjet 45 aircraft crashed in Baramati, Maharashtra, killing five persons, including state deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar.
Earlier, the DGCA had announced special audits of all non-scheduled operators. However, the findings have not been made public. The aviation regulator has also not released the report on its probe into VSR Ventures, the operator of the crashed Learjet.
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