Seven Die in Jharkhand Air Ambulance Crash

All seven people on board an air ambulance that crashed in India’s eastern state of Jharkhand were killed, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

The Beechcraft C90 aircraft, operated by Redbird Airways, took off from Ranchi on Monday but sought a change in flight path due to adverse weather, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said. 

The aircraft later lost communication and disappeared from radar during a thunderstorm before crashing in Chatra district.

Local authorities recovered all seven bodies and sent them for post-mortem examinations. The victims included two pilots, two medical personnel, a patient identified as Sanjay Kumar, and two of his relatives.

An investigation has been launched, with a team from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau dispatched to determine the cause of the crash. A Redbird Airways official said both pilots were experienced and that the matter is under investigation by the relevant agencies.

Family members said Kumar had suffered burn injuries and was being transferred by air ambulance to Delhi after his condition deteriorated.

In a separate incident on the same day, a helicopter made an emergency landing in the sea near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 

All seven people on board were rescued safely, according to reports.

India, one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, has seen several recent air incidents. 

Last month, a chartered Learjet 45 crashed in Maharashtra, killing all five people on board, including the state’s deputy chief minister.