Air Ambulance Crash in Jharkhand Claims Seven Lives
All seven people aboard an air ambulance traveling from Ranchi to Delhi were killed when the aircraft crashed near Simaria in Jharkhand’s Chatra district on Monday evening, February 23, 2026, officials confirmed.
The aircraft, a Beechcraft C90 operated by Delhi-based Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, took off from Ranchi airport at 7:11 p.m. Local time. It lost contact with air traffic control approximately 20 minutes after takeoff, around 7:30 p.m., and radar contact was lost about 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi, according to a statement from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Chatra Deputy Commissioner Keerthishree G told PTI that all seven individuals on board perished in the crash. “The plane was on the way to Delhi from Ranchi,” she stated. The crash site is located deep within a forest, complicating recovery efforts.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Shubham Khandelwal identified the victims as Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat, Captain Savrajdeep Singh, Sanjay Kumar, Dr. Vikas Kumar Gupta, Sachin Kumar Mishra, Archana Devi, and Dhuru Kumar.
According to the DGCA website, Redbird Airways has a fleet of six aircraft. The company was established in 2018 and received its permit to operate non-scheduled flights in 2019.
The air ambulance was arranged to transport a patient with severe burn injuries from Ranchi to Delhi for further treatment. Anant Sinha, CEO of Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi, explained to PTI that Sanjay Kumar, a 41-year-old resident of Latehar district, had been admitted to the hospital on February 16 with 65 percent burn injuries. His family decided to seek specialized care in Delhi and chartered the air ambulance, which departed the hospital around 4:30 p.m. On Monday.
The crash has prompted an investigation. An Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team has been dispatched to the site to determine the cause of the accident. Initial speculation suggests inclement weather may have played a role, but a thorough investigation is needed to confirm this, Ranchi airport director Vinod Kumar told PTI.
Former Chief Minister and BJP leader Champai Soren expressed his deep sadness over the incident in a post on X, offering prayers for the deceased and their families. “I pray for the deceased individuals, including the crew members aboard the plane from Marang Buru (the supreme tribal deity), and for strength to their families during this difficult time,” he wrote.
The DGCA stated that the search and rescue team from the district administration has reached the crash location. The agency is overseeing the investigation and will release further details as they become available.
