Wreckage of an air ambulance, which carried seven folks onboard whereas on its manner from Ranchi to Delhi, after it crashed close to Simaria, in Chatra district, Jharkhand, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026.
| Picture Credit score: PTI
All seven individuals on board an air ambulance have been killed after the plane crashed close to Simaria in Jharkhand’s Chatra district on Monday (February 23, 2026) night whereas en path to Delhi from Ranchi, a prime State authorities official mentioned.
The crash happened shortly after the plane operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd took off from Ranchi airport at 7.11 p.m..
“All seven on board the air ambulance have been killed within the crash. The airplane was on the best way to Delhi from Ranchi,” Chatra Deputy Commissioner Keerthishree G informed PTI.
“The plane went lacking round 7.30 p.m.. It crashed at Bariatu Panchayat space in Simaria,” she mentioned, including that the positioning of the crash is situated deep inside a forest.
SDPO Shubham Khandelwal informed PTI that the our bodies of all seven individuals on board have been retrieved. They’ve been recognized as Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat, Captain Savrajdeep Singh, Sanjay Kumar, Dr Vikas Kumar Gupta, Sachin Kumar Mishra, Archana Devi, and Dhuru Kumar.
Based on the DGCA web site, Delhi-based non-scheduled operator Redbird has six plane in its fleet, together with the one which crashed.
Anant Sinha, CEO of Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi, informed PTI that the air ambulance was organized by one in all their sufferers.
“The affected person, Sanjay Kumar (41), a resident of Chandwa in Latehar district, was delivered to the hospital with 65 per cent burn accidents on February 16. He was being handled within the hospital,” he mentioned, including that the relations determined to take him to Delhi for higher remedy.
“They organized an air ambulance on Monday. The affected person left the hospital for Delhi round 4.30 pm,” he mentioned.
In a submit on X, former Chief Minister and BJP chief Champai Soren mentioned he was deeply saddened by the information of the crash.
“I pray for the deceased people, together with the crew members aboard the airplane from Marang Buru (the supreme tribal deity), and for power to their households throughout this troublesome time,” he posted.
Earlier, Ranchi airport director Vinod Kumar informed PTI that the airplane misplaced contact with air visitors management round 20 minutes after takeoff.
“Inclement climate may very well be a cause behind the crash, however the precise trigger can be ascertained solely after a probe,” he mentioned.
In a press release, the DGCA mentioned, “On 23.02.2026 Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd Beechcraft C90 plane VT-AJV working medical evacuation (Air Ambulance) flight on sector Ranchi-Delhi crashed in Kasaria Panchayat of Chatra district, in Jharkhand. There have been seven folks on board, together with two crew members.” “The plane was airborne from Ranchi at 19:11 IST. After establishing contact with Kolkata at 19:34 IST, plane misplaced communication and RADAR contact with Kolkata at roughly 100 NM South-East of Varanasi,” it added.
The district administration’s search and rescue group has already reached the situation, and an Plane Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) group is being dispatched, the assertion mentioned.
Printed – February 23, 2026 11:11 pm IST
