Tragic Chatra Air Ambulance Crash: Bad Weather Forces Route Change
An air ambulance crashed in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, killing all seven people on board. The plane was flying from Ranchi to New Delhi. Poor weather is believed to be the main reason for the crash. Officials are searching for the aircraft’s black box to understand what happened.
Air Ambulance Crashes in Chatra
An air ambulance crashed in the Chatra district of Jharkhand on Monday night. The plane was traveling from Ranchi to New Delhi. Seven people, including the patient, were on board. All of them died in the accident. Early reports suggest the plane asked to change its route because of bad weather. Soon after, contact with the plane was lost.
Flight Details and Lost Contact
The aircraft, a Beechcraft C90, took off from Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Airport at 7:11 PM. It was operated by Redbird Airways Private Limited. The flight carried a very sick patient, a doctor, and the crew. Shortly after leaving Ranchi, the plane spoke with Kolkata Air Traffic Control (ATC). It asked to change its planned path due to bad weather. However, at 7:34 PM, all contact with the plane was lost. This happened about 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi.
No Communication with Other Air Traffic Control
After losing contact with Kolkata ATC, the plane could not connect with Varanasi ATC or Lucknow ATC. Radar data shows the plane’s last known position on Varanasi radar was at 7:22 PM. The aircraft then went missing. It was later found to have crashed in a remote part of Chatra.
Possible Reasons for the Air Ambulance Accident
The Director of Ranchi Airport, Vinod Kumar, stated that bad weather seems to be the main cause of the crash. However, he stressed that a full technical investigation is needed to find the exact reasons. “The air ambulance crash appears to be primarily due to bad weather. However, the actual reasons for the accident can only be determined after a detailed technical investigation,” Kumar said.
Storm Blamed for Fatal Crash
The Chatra Deputy Commissioner, Kirtishree G, also pointed to bad weather. “This aircraft crashed due to a storm,” she said. “The team of doctors found them dead. A total of 7 people died. There were two crew members, and among the remaining 5, there was a patient and members of the patient’s family.” The administration is now working to find answers by investigating the plane’s black box and the wreckage.
