Jharkhand crash victims had taken ₹8L loan for air ambulance
What's the story
The family of a 41-year-old man, who was among seven people killed in an air ambulance crash in Jharkhand on Monday night, had taken a loan of ₹8 lakh to hire the air ambulance. The small hotel owner, Sanjay Kumar, had recently suffered severe burn injuries due to an electric short circuit at his hotel. Sanjay was initially treated at Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi, where he was admitted with 65% burn injuries.
Medical transfer
Family took loan to hire air ambulance
"The patient, Sanjay Kumar (41), a resident of Chandwa in Latehar district, was brought to the hospital with 65 percent burn injuries on February 16. He was being treated in the hospital," said Anant Sinha, CEO of Devkamal Hospital in Ranchi. However, due to his deteriorating condition and local treatment limitations, the family decided to shift him for advanced care. "They arranged an air ambulance on Monday. The patient left the hospital for Delhi around 4.30 pm," he added.
Family
Family had even considered selling their property
Sanjay's brother Ajay, who works with the Haryana government, said the family came from a low-income background. He told India Today that the family had even considered selling their property and land to fund Sanjay's treatment. The family eventually took out a loan and borrowed money from friends and well-wishers to cover the expense of private hospital care in Delhi, as well as the rent for the air ambulance.
Tragic accident
Air ambulance lost contact before crash
On the plane was also Sanjay's wife Archana and a relative named Dhruv. The air ambulance, a Beechcraft C90 aircraft operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd, took off from Ranchi at 7:11pm IST. Shortly after takeoff, it requested a deviation due to bad weather. "At 19:34 IST, the aircraft lost communication and radar contact with Kolkata at approximately 100 nautical miles southeast of Varanasi," the DGCA said. The crash site was located near Simaria in Chatra district's Bariatu Panchayat area.
Recovery challenges
Rescuers confirm all 7 dead
Simariya Block Superintendent Sumit Kumar Agarwal told ANI that reaching the crash site was difficult due to the terrain. "We got information around 10 that an accident had happened. Getting here was difficult considering the terrain," he said. Rescue teams later confirmed all seven occupants, including Sanjay and his family members, had died in the tragic accident. Other four who died in the crash were two pilots, one doctor, and one paramedic.