Loans for education, treatment and air ambulance fare… Ranchi plane crash destroyed many families.

Ranchi: Seven people died tragically when an air ambulance going from Ranchi to Delhi crashed in the dense forests of Simaria police station area of ​​Chatra district of Jharkhand. This accident is not just a plane crash, but a collective tragedy of those families who had taken huge loans for better treatment and dreams. The lives buried under the debris scattered in the inaccessible forest are testifying to the debts and hopes that were once about to be fulfilled.

On the evening of 23 February 2026, just 23 minutes after taking off from Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi, the plane lost contact with ATC due to bad weather and possible technical problem. The plane fell near Karam Tod, where the relief team had to walk four kilometers to reach. All seven people died on the spot. This incident is highlighting the lack of health services and the necessity of expensive treatment in rural India.

Dr. Vikas Kumar Gupta: Dream based on loan

Doctor Vikas Kumar Gupta, who lost his life in this accident, was posted in Sadar Hospital, Ranchi. His father Bajrangi Prasad is from an ordinary family of Aurangabad district of Bihar. In a broken voice he tells that we had sold all our land. I took the loan and had only one dream: my son will become a doctor. Dr. Vikas completed MBBS from Cuttack, Odisha. During studies, I had to raise money again and again for fees, hostel and books. Father said that people used to say, don’t take so much loan, how will you repay it? But I said, if my son studies, he will repay everything. Dr. Vikas has a seven year old son.

Patient Sanjay Kumar: Tragedy started from hotel fire

Sanjay Kumar, a serious patient on board the plane, used to run a small hotel in Chandwa town. Last week, a fire broke out in the hotel due to short circuit, in which Sanjay got badly burnt. He was first admitted to a private hospital in Ranchi. The treatment was expensive, thousands of rupees were being spent every day. All the family’s savings were gone. Help was sought from relatives. Doctors referred to Delhi. The road route was risky, so air ambulance was the only option left.

Loan of seven and a half to eight lakhs

It cost Rs 7.5 to 8 lakh to book an air ambulance. The family was from ordinary economic background. Sanjay’s brother Ajay, who works in Haryana government, says that we took loan from relatives. Some people gave money on trust. Some on interest. We thought that if our lives are saved then we will pay everything. The patient was boarded in the plane. Wife Archana Devi, relatives and medical team were with her. Other members returned home, hoping that treatment would start as soon as they reached Delhi. But as soon as we reached home, we got the news that the plane had crashed.

17 year old Dhruv Kumar: Left preparations for Delhi to serve his maternal uncle

17 year old Dhruv Kumar, resident of Simdega, was studying in Ranchi. I had a dream of making a career in mobile engineering. Preparations were going on to go to Delhi. When uncle Sanjay got burnt, Dhruv stopped his studies and started serving him. When the doctors referred him to Delhi, he also came along. He was the only son of the family.

Weather changed after flight and contact lost

The plane took off from Ranchi at around 7:11 pm. After some time the weather worsened. Due to strong winds and low visibility, contact with ATC was lost at 7:34 pm while trying to divert the route. The plane crashed near Karam Tod in the dense forests of Simaria. The accident was so horrific that no one could survive.

Challenges of relief work

As soon as information about the accident was received, police, SSB 35th battalion and relief teams became active. The plane had fallen in an inaccessible forest four kilometers from the road. The soldiers had to reach the debris on foot. The bodies were taken out by being lifted on shoulders and sent to Chatra Hospital for post-mortem.