Ranchi

Grief-stricken family members on Tuesday received the bodies of seven people who died in an air ambulance crash near Simaria in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, following post-mortem examinations conducted at Sadar Hospital.

The Beechcraft C90 air ambulance, operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, was flying from Ranchi to Delhi on Monday evening when it crashed in the Bariatu Panchayat area of Simaria, deep inside a forest. All seven people on board, including two pilots, were killed.

“The bodies have been handed over to the family members after autopsy,” a health department official said.

According to officials, the aircraft took off from Ranchi airport at 7.11 pm and went missing around 7.30 pm after losing contact with air traffic control nearly 20 minutes into the flight. Ranchi airport director Vinod Kumar said inclement weather could be a possible cause, though the exact reason would be known only after a detailed investigation.

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

As the bodies were handed over, scenes of anguish unfolded at the hospital, with relatives breaking down in shock and disbelief.

Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar and Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed deep condolences and assured all possible assistance to the affected families.

“Since receiving the news of this heart-wrenching incident, the district administration and the state government have been fully engaged. We have lost seven of our own, including brave pilots,” Soren said in a post on X, praying for strength for the bereaved families.

Gangwar described the incident as extremely heartbreaking and conveyed his deepest sympathies to the victims’ families.

Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari said the state government would probe how permission was granted for the flight during “inclement weather” and assured proper compensation to the next of kin.

D S Bhagat, father of pilot Vikas Bhagat, said his son, who had saved several lives while flying air ambulances, lost his own life tragically. “An ill-fated father like me had to see the mortal remains of my son,” he said.

Bajrangi Prasad, father of Dr Vikas Kumar Gupta, said he had sold his land to educate his son, who was posted at Sadar Hospital in Ranchi. “He leaves behind a seven-year-old son,” he said.

Relatives of Sanjay Kumar and Archana Devi blamed poor health infrastructure for forcing the transfer to Delhi. “Had proper treatment been available in Ranchi, precious lives could have been saved,” a family member said.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the aircraft (VT-AJV) lost communication and radar contact with Kolkata about 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi. An Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau team has been dispatched to the crash site.

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Devkamal Hospital CEO Anant Sinha said the air ambulance had been arranged for Sanjay Kumar, who suffered 65 per cent burn injuries and was being shifted to Delhi for advanced treatment.