Air ambulance plunges into eastern India forest, killing 7
People watch wreckage of a Beechcraft C90 air ambulance aircraft after it crashed Monday into a forest near Ranchi, the capital of Indian state of Jharkhand, Tuesday, Feb.24, 2026. Credit: AP/Saikat Chatterjee
NEW DELHI — An air ambulance crashed into a dense forest in eastern India, killing all seven people on board, authorities said.
The Beechcraft C90 aircraft operated by Redbird Airways Pvt. Ltd. lost control minutes after taking off from Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand state, on Monday, the country’s aviation watchdog said in a statement.
The plane was carrying a critically ill burn patient to New Delhi for advanced medical treatment. He was accompanied by a doctor, a paramedic and two family members. The other two people on board were the pilot and co-pilot.
“All seven persons on board the air ambulance are dead and their bodies sent for postmortem,” senior local official Keerthishree G. told The Associated Press from the accident site Tuesday.
State officials suspect the aircraft lost control after passing through turbulence caused by bad weather.
A team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is being dispatched to investigate the cause of the accident, according to a statement from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Local media cited eyewitnesses as saying they heard a loud explosion before seeing smoke rise from a heavily forested area, prompting local authorities to rush to the scene.
Air ambulances are frequently used in India to transport critically ill patients from smaller cities to major medical centers.
The crash adds to concerns over aviation safety during adverse weather conditions, especially in regions with challenging terrain.
It comes weeks after a private plane carrying a senior state official crashed in western India, killing all five people on board.
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'It's personal to me' The law would require businesses to have proper state licensing, prove that their employees are paid and ban staff from living at the spas or sleeping there overnight. Repeat offenders could face penalties up to $25,000. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn has more.
