Jharkhand reels from a shocking air tragedy: a chartered medical flight bound for Delhi plummeted into a wooded area in Chatra district, erasing seven lives in an instant.
At the heart was Sanjay Kumar Sahu, whose life hung by a thread after severe burns from a hotel fire in Chandwa, Latehar. Treated initially in Ranchi, the decision for AIIMS Delhi came as his burns—estimated at 65%—refused to stabilize. Boarding with family members, a medical team, and flight crew, the Red Bird Airways Beechcraft lifted off at 7:11 PM.
Disaster struck en route. After signaling weather issues to Kolkata control and altering path, radar went silent at 7:34 PM, 100 nautical miles out. Ground witnesses in Karmatand heard the catastrophic impact, likened to dynamite. Rapid response from police, administration, and locals yielded the grim recovery of all passengers.
Key figures on scene—DC Kirti Shree, SP Sumit Agarwal—oversaw operations as forensic teams sifted debris. Sadar Hospital’s Dr. Pankaj Kumar arrived to pronounce no survivors, identities still verifying. Family voices pierced the sorrow: brother Vijay learned via news, uncle lamented the failed rescue.
This incident spotlights vulnerabilities in air ambulances navigating India’s rugged landscapes and monsoonal whims. With DGCA probing flight logs and black boxes, the nation awaits answers on preventing future aerial heartbreaks.