Contact Lost Minutes After Takeoff from Ranchi
Ranchi: A charter air ambulance that took off from Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi for Delhi on Monday evening crashed in a forested area of Chatra district, triggering panic and a massive rescue operation. Seven people, including the pilot and crew members, were on board the aircraft at the time of the incident.
The private Beechcraft King Air C90 aircraft (registration number VT-AJV), operated by RAPL, departed from Ranchi at 7:11 pm (1:41 pm UTC) for Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. According to official sources, contact with the aircraft was lost around 7:34 pm (2:04 pm UTC) near Atali. The last communication was made with VEC control on VHF frequency 132.25. The aircraft did not establish contact with Varanasi Air Traffic Control thereafter.
At around 8:05 pm (2:35 pm UTC), the Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) was activated, and search and rescue operations were launched immediately.
According to preliminary information, the air ambulance was carrying a critically ill patient along with a medical team, besides the pilot and crew members. The aircraft was scheduled to land in Delhi at approximately 8:30 pm. However, it failed to reach its destination, raising concerns of a major tragedy.
Sources said the aircraft’s last known location was in the densely forested and mountainous region between Latehar and Palamu. Weather conditions in the area reportedly worsened suddenly, with heavy rain and strong winds. Officials suspect that poor visibility or a possible technical fault may have led to the crash.
Later reports confirmed that the aircraft crashed in the forests of Kathiyatu under the Simaria police station area of Chatra district. The remote and heavily forested terrain has made rescue operations challenging.
Authorities are continuing search and recovery efforts, while aviation officials have begun an investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash.
