A medical evacuation flight carrying seven individuals from Ranchi to Delhi is feared to have crashed in Jharkhand’s Chatra district after losing radar contact shortly after departing Ranchi Airport on Monday evening.
The aircraft, a Beechcraft C90 operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, left Birsa Munda Airport at roughly 19:11 IST and vanished from radar less than 30 minutes later, sparking an urgent search and rescue effort in the forest-covered area of Simaria.
🛫 Flight Details
According to aviation sources, the flight had communicated with Kolkata Air Traffic Control and even requested a diversion due to weather conditions before all contact was lost. The final known radar trace was over the Jharkhand-Bihar airspace before the disappearance.
District rescue teams and police units have been combing the site, joined by officials from the DGCA and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. Access has proved difficult due to dense vegetation and remote terrain.
🚨 Occupants and Uncertainty
While official reports have been restrained, preliminary media reporting suggests that all seven people onboard, including two pilots, medical staff, and a critically ill patient, are feared dead as rescue teams have not reported survivors.
Authorities cautioned that confirmation will only come once teams reach the wreckage and conduct clinical assessments of the scene.
🧭 Investigation and Weather
Preliminary indications point to weather factors around the time of departure as a possible challenge, though investigators have not ruled out technical or mechanical issues. DGCA officials have stated that a comprehensive probe will consider radar and communication logs, flight data recorders, and weather reports.
The incident has prompted questions about safety protocols for aerial medical evacuations, particularly in adverse weather windows, and the aviation regulator has urged patience as details emerge.
