Jharkhand air ambulance crash: Family’s Rs 8 lakh loan for medical airlift ends in tragedy
Sanjay Kumar, who was being airlifted to Delhi, had suffered severe burn injuries last week following a fire triggered by an electric short circuit at his small hotel
PTC Web Desk: A family’s desperate attempt to save the life of a 41-year-old burn victim ended in tragedy on Monday after the air ambulance transporting him to Delhi crashed in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, killing all seven persons on board.
Sanjay Kumar, a resident of Chandwa, had suffered severe burn injuries last week following a fire triggered by an electric short circuit at his small hotel. The blaze left him critically injured. With his condition worsening and limited treatment options available locally, his family arranged for him to be shifted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi for specialised care.
To finance the treatment and the cost of the chartered air ambulance, the family reportedly took a loan of around Rs 8 lakh and borrowed money from relatives and friends. According to Ajay, Sanjay’s brother, the family had even considered selling their land and property to cover medical expenses.
“We were ready to do anything to save him,” Ajay said, recounting how the family pooled resources to arrange advanced treatment in Delhi.
On Monday morning, the Beechcraft C90 aircraft, operated by Delhi-based charter service Redbird Airways, took off from Ranchi carrying Sanjay, his wife Archana Devi, and relative Dhruv Kumar, along with two pilots and two medical personnel. Shortly after take-off, the aircraft crashed in Chatra district. There were no survivors.
The deceased have been identified as Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat, the pilot-in-command; Captain Savrajdeep Singh, co-pilot; Dr Vikas Kumar Gupta; paramedic Sachin Kumar Mishra; and the three passengers, Sanjay Kumar, his wife Archana Devi and relative Dhruv Kumar.
Sanjay was the sole earning member of his family. His death, along with that of his wife and relative, has left their loved ones devastated.
Authorities are expected to initiate an investigation into the cause of the crash. Further details are awaited.