Grief gripped Jharkhand on Tuesday afternoon as the bodies of seven people killed in the devastating air ambulance crash near Simaria were handed over to their families after post-mortem at Sadar Hospital in Chatra.
The ill-fated Beechcraft C90, operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, had taken off from Ranchi at 7:11 pm on Monday, February 23, 2026, en route to Delhi. Within minutes, contact with air traffic control was lost. The aircraft crashed deep inside the forested Bariatu Panchayat area of Simaria, killing all seven on board — including two pilots.
Who Lost Their Lives
The deceased have been identified as:
- Captain Vikas Bhagat
- Captain Savrajdeep Singh
- Dr. Vikas Kumar Gupta
- Sanjay Kumar
- Sachin Kumar Mishra
- Archana Devi
- Dhuru Kumar
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that radar contact was lost roughly 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi. An Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team has reached the crash site to probe the exact cause.
Weather Under Scanner
Ranchi airport director Vinod Kumar indicated that inclement weather may have played a role, though the final conclusion will depend on the official investigation. Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari has also ordered a probe into how clearance was granted for take-off despite adverse conditions.
Families in Shock
Scenes outside the hospital were heart-wrenching. Parents, siblings and children stood inconsolable as ambulances carried the remains home.
D.S. Bhagat, father of Captain Vikas Bhagat, broke down saying his son had saved countless lives flying air ambulances — only to lose his own in one.
Dr. Vikas Kumar Gupta’s father revealed he had sold land to fund his son’s medical education. The doctor leaves behind a seven-year-old child.
Family members of Sanjay Kumar, a burn patient being shifted to Delhi for advanced treatment, questioned the state’s healthcare infrastructure. His sister Archana Devi also perished in the crash.
Government Response
Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar expressed deep sorrow and assured full support and compensation to the affected families.
What was meant to be a life-saving journey turned into one of Jharkhand’s most painful aviation tragedies. As investigators search for answers, seven homes are left with silence — and questions that may take time to heal.
