An air ambulance has crashed in a dense forest in eastern India, killing all seven people on board, authorities confirmed on Tuesday. The Beechcraft C90 aircraft, operated by Redbird Airways Pvt. Ltd., lost control shortly after departing from Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand state, on Monday, according to the country's aviation watchdog.
The flight was transporting a critically ill burn patient, along with two family members, a doctor, a paramedic, and the pilot and co-pilot, to New Delhi for further medical treatment. Senior local official Keerthishree G. told the Associated Press that all seven bodies had been recovered and sent for post-mortem examination.
It is suspected that the aircraft encountered turbulence caused by bad weather, leading to loss of control. The crash is under investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, stated the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion before seeing smoke rising from the heavily forested area, prompting a swift response from local authorities.
Air ambulances are frequently used in India to transfer critically ill patients from smaller cities to major medical centres. This incident has reignited concerns over aviation safety during adverse weather conditions, particularly in regions with challenging terrain. It follows another fatal crash weeks earlier, when a private plane carrying a senior state official crashed in western India, killing all five on board.
