Rourkela Charter Plane Crash Claims First Life; Critically Injured Passenger Dies
Biswal had been battling for survival since the accident occurred near Jalda in Odisha’s Sundargarh district on January 10.
Bhubaneswar: The charter aircraft crash near Rourkela earlier this month has claimed its first life, with critically injured passenger Sushant Biswal succumbing to his injuries while undergoing treatment at a private hospital on Saturday, officials said.
Biswal had been battling for survival since the accident occurred near Jalda in Odisha’s Sundargarh district on January 10. Biswal was among six persons, including two pilots, who sustained injuries when the nine-seater aircraft crash-landed shortly after take-off. He was reported to be in a critical condition from the outset and was placed on life support due to multiple injuries, hospital sources said.
Following the incident, all injured passengers were rescued from the crash site by local residents and emergency services and rushed to a hospital in Rourkela for immediate medical care. Given the seriousness of their condition, two injured passengers were later airlifted to Mumbai on January 11 for advanced treatment, underlining the severity of the impact.
According to official sources, the aircraft was operating a chartered flight from Bhubaneswar to Rourkela when it encountered difficulties shortly after take-off. Preliminary information suggests that the plane had flown barely 10 kilometres before going down near Jalda A Block in the Raghunathpali area. While the exact cause of the crash remains unclear, technical failure and weather-related factors are among the possibilities being examined.
Odisha transport minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, who visited the crash site earlier, stated that a detailed probe has been ordered to ascertain the circumstances leading to the accident. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also been informed, and aviation safety protocols mandate a thorough investigation into such incidents involving chartered aircraft.
The tragedy has cast a pall of gloom over Rourkela and surrounding areas, with local residents expressing shock over the incident. Officials said the death has heightened concerns over charter flight safety and emergency preparedness at smaller regional airstrips.
Authorities have assured that findings of the investigation will be made public after completion of the inquiry, while support is being extended to the bereaved family by the state government.
