All seven persons on board a Beechcraft C90 air ambulance were killed after the aircraft crashed in a forested area of Jharkhand’s Chatra district on Monday evening, prompting multiple investigations into the cause of the tragedy, including possible inclement weather and operational lapses.

The aircraft, operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, was flying from Ranchi to Delhi on a medical evacuation mission when it went down in the Bariatu Panchayat area of Simaria. Authorities confirmed that the bodies have been shifted to Sadar Hospital in Chatra for post-mortem examination.

“We have brought all the seven bodies for post-mortem at Sadar Hospital, Chatra. The crash is being investigated,” an official told PTI.

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Beechcraft C90 aircraft (VT-AJV) was operating a medical evacuation flight on the Ranchi–Delhi sector when it crashed in Kasaria Panchayat of Chatra district.

“The aircraft was airborne from Ranchi at 19:11 IST. After establishing contact with Kolkata at 19:34 IST, the aircraft lost communication and radar contact with Kolkata at approximately 100 nautical miles south-east of Varanasi,” it said, adding that there were seven people on board, including two crew members.

The aircraft had taken off from Ranchi airport at 7.11 pm and went missing around 7.30 pm, losing contact with air traffic control roughly 20 minutes after departure.

An Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team has been dispatched to the crash site.

Ranchi airport director Vinod Kumar said inclement weather could be a possible reason behind the crash, though the exact cause would be ascertained after a detailed probe.

Victims identified

The deceased were identified as Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat, Captain Savrajdeep Singh, Sanjay Kumar, Dr Vikas Kumar Gupta, Sachin Kumar Mishra, Archana Devi and Dhuru Kumar.

Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari said the state government will conduct a probe into how permission was given to the aircraft to fly during “inclement weather”. He also said proper compensation would be given to the kin of the deceased.

Terming the crash extremely unfortunate, Ranchi MP and Minister of State (MoS) Defence Sanjay Seth said, "Last night's plane crash was extremely tragic. We were busy with election work, and after it ended we learned about the incident. The weather had been clear during the day, but suddenly it changed. A yellow alert had been issued, followed by lightning, thunder, strong winds and heavy rain. It will be known only after the investigation whether bad weather, human error or a technical problem caused the crash. One patient from Latehar with 60–65% burn injuries was being taken from Ranchi to Delhi for treatment along with his wife and nephew. A doctor, paramedical staff and two pilots were also on board. It is very unfortunate that a patient being taken for treatment lost his life in this tragic crash."

Former Jharkhand chief minister and BJP leader Champai Soren said in a post on X that he was deeply saddened by the incident.

Patient being shifted for burn treatment

Anant Sinha, CEO of Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi, said the air ambulance was arranged by the family of Sanjay Kumar, a resident of Chandwa in Latehar district, who had suffered severe burn injuries.

"The patient, Sanjay Kumar, a resident of Chandwa in Latehar district, was brought to the hospital with 65 per cent burn injuries on February 16. He was being treated in the hospital," he said.

The family decided to shift him to Delhi for advanced treatment.

"They arranged for an air ambulance on Monday. The patient left the hospital for Delhi around 4.30 pm," he said.

A relative of one of the victims said, "Sanjay Prasad had suffered severe burns. He was admitted to a hospital. There was no improvement in his condition during treatment, so we wanted to shift him to Delhi. In that process, we arranged a private jet, but it crashed. He had a small hotel, and a gas cylinder there had exploded, which caused the fire. That was how he got badly burnt. My demand to the government is that the system is extremely weak. Even when we go to private facilities, the arrangements turn into hardships, and today that hardship has turned into death. Our home has been completely destroyed. Not just one home—many families have been ruined. The government here is incapable and is doing nothing. If proper treatment had been available in Ranchi itself, we would not have had to take him to Delhi. And in the process of taking him to Delhi, this tragedy happened, my entire family has been wiped out. Our very existence has been shattered. There are two children who have now become like orphans. What will happen to them, I do not know."

Family members of Sanjay Kumar also questioned the local healthcare system.

"Had we given proper treatment to my brother-in-law Sanjay in Ranchi, precious lives could have been saved. I lost both both Sanjay and sister Archana Devi in the incident," Kumar said.

Bajrangi Prasad, father of Dr Vikas Kumar Gupta, said, "He has a seven-year-old son... He was meritorious and had completed his MBBS from Odisha’s Cuttack."

Political reactions, call for transparent probe

The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) called for a comprehensive investigation into the crash.

“The tragic crash of an air ambulance in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, claiming the lives of all seven persons on board, is a matter of profound sorrow. We extend our deepest condolences to the bereaved families and stand in solidarity with them in this hour of grief,” the TMC said in a post on X.

“We urge the authorities to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation to ascertain the precise cause of the crash, and to ensure that robust safeguards are put in place to prevent such tragedies in the future,” it said.

Meanwhile, a lingering sense of grief prevailed in Chatra district as families mourned the loss of their loved ones.

According to the DGCA website, Delhi-based non-scheduled operator Redbird has six aircraft in its fleet, including the one that crashed. Investigations by the DGCA and AAIB are underway to determine whether adverse weather, technical failure or human error led to the fatal accident.