A Beechcraft C90 air ambulance flying from Ranchi to Delhi crashed into a forested area near Simaria in Chatra district late Sunday evening, claiming the lives of all seven people on board, local authorities confirmed. The flight, operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, departed Ranchi airport at approximately 7:11 PM carrying a critically ill burn patient in need of specialized care in Delhi. Contact with air traffic control was lost around 20 minutes later after the pilots requested a deviation due to severe weather, including thunderstorms and heavy rain battering the region.

Local residents in Kasaria Panchayat under Simaria block heard a loud explosion during the downpour and alerted authorities. Rescue teams, battling poor visibility and rough terrain, recovered the wreckage and confirmed no survivors early Monday. Chatra District Collector Kirtishri Mitra verified the death toll, expressing grief over the loss.

The victims included pilots Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat and Captain Savrajdeep Singh, doctor Vikas Kumar Gupta, nurse Sanjay Kumar, patient Sachin Kumar Mishra, and two others, Archana Devi and Dhuru Kumar. The patient had been rushed to a Ranchi hospital earlier with severe burns, making the airlift a desperate bid to save a life.

India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has dispatched investigators to the site, focusing on possible factors like turbulent weather, mechanical failure, or pilot error. This incident marks the second air ambulance crash in India within a month, reigniting concerns over operations in monsoon-prone areas.

Ranchi airport director Vinod Kumar stated the aircraft vanished from radar shortly after its weather-related request. Political leaders, including those from the All India Trinamool Congress, have demanded swift answers and improved safety protocols for these vital mercy flights. Air ambulances play a crucial role in Jharkhand's remote landscapes, but events like this highlight the dangers crews face daily. Official updates are expected as the investigation unfolds.