Seven Feared Dead After Air Ambulance Disappears From Radar and Crashes in Jharkhand

Seven people are feared dead after an air ambulance vanished from radar shortly after takeoff and reportedly crashed in a remote forest area of Jharkhand on Monday evening. Authorities have launched an intensive search and recovery mission amid challenging terrain and fading visibility.

The aircraft was en route from Ranchi to Delhi on a medical evacuation assignment. Approximately 20 minutes into the flight, communication with air traffic control was lost. Radar signals also disappeared around the same time, raising immediate alarm within aviation monitoring systems.

Emergency response protocols were activated, and district authorities were alerted. Police teams and disaster management units were deployed to suspected crash coordinates in Chatra district. Due to the region’s thick forests and uneven ground conditions, rescue operations progressed cautiously.

Initial reports suggest there were seven individuals onboard, including flight crew and medical staff accompanying a patient. Officials have not released confirmed casualty figures but indicated that no contact has been established with any survivors so far.

Aviation experts say that when aircraft lose both radar and radio contact simultaneously, investigators typically examine multiple possibilities, including severe weather disturbance, onboard system failure, or sudden loss of control. Recovery of flight data recorders, if available, will be critical to reconstructing the final moments of the flight.

Authorities have sealed off the crash zone to prevent tampering and to preserve evidence for investigators. Specialized teams trained in aviation accident assessment are expected to conduct site mapping and debris pattern analysis.

The tragedy underscores the high-stakes nature of emergency medical aviation services. Air ambulances serve as lifelines for critically ill patients requiring rapid transfer between cities. While statistically rare, accidents involving such flights can have profound emotional and operational repercussions.

State officials have assured a thorough and transparent investigation. Updates will follow as rescue and assessment efforts continue in the forested crash site.