In a gut-wrenching tale of sacrifice and sorrow, a Jharkhand family’s desperate Rs 8 lakh loan to save their only son Sanjay Kumar from 65% burns ended in unimaginable loss when the chartered air ambulance crashed just 23 minutes after takeoff from Ranchi, claiming all seven lives aboard amid stormy weather.
Desperate Fight for Life Turns Fatal
Sanjay Kumar Shaw (41), beloved hotel owner from Latehar, suffered horrific injuries in a short-circuit fire at his property last week. Doctors at Ranchi’s hospital stabilized him but urged urgent transfer to Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for advanced care—road travel impossible due to his critical state.
With finances strained from initial treatment, the Shaw family borrowed Rs 8 lakh from relatives, friends, and moneylenders to charter Redbird Airways’ Beechcraft C90 (VT-AJV). Sanjay’s wife Archana Devi, relative Dhruv Kumar, two pilots (Capt. Amit Singh, FO Rahul Sharma), doctor Dr. Priya Mehta, and paramedic Ravi joined the ill-fated flight.
Takeoff at 7:11 PM Monday from Birsa Munda Airport; pilots reported severe thunderstorms, seeking diversion between 7:20-7:21 PM. Radar contact lost by 7:34 PM—the plane plummeted into Chatra’s dense forests, erupting in flames. All perished; black box recovery underway.
Family’s Devastating Loss
Brother Vijay Shaw recounted the agony: “We sold assets, begged loans—Sanjay was our only hope. Now everything’s gone in moments.” Ajay Shaw considered land sales for treatment. Sanjay leaves parents, siblings shattered.
Chatra SP Sumit Kumar Agarwal and DC Keerthi Shree confirmed fatalities, blaming thunderstorms. DGCA probe teams rushed from Delhi; third civilian crash since Ahmedabad June incident.
Urgent Aviation Safety Calls
Redbird Airways faces scrutiny; experts demand stricter weather protocols, air ambulance oversight. Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren announced Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia, PM relief fund support.
This tragedy spotlights rural healthcare access gaps—affordable air ambulances critical for remote India. Shaws’ sacrifice underscores human spirit amid systemic challenges.
