India sees three aviation emergencies in 24 hours
India witnessed three separate aviation emergencies within 24 hours: a fatal air ambulance crash in Jharkhand, an engine scare mid-air on a Delhi-Leh commercial flight, and a helicopter crash-landing in the Andaman Sea. While one incident ended in tragedy, swift responses in the other two ensured no loss of life.
Delhi-Leh Flight Returns After Mid-Air Engine Alert In a separate incident on Tuesday morning, a Leh-bound SpiceJet flight returned to Delhi shortly after takeoff following a reported technical snag.
The Boeing 737 aircraft, operating as SG121 with around 150 passengers and crew on board, reportedly experienced sparks and flames from one of its engines mid-air. As a precautionary measure, the pilots decided to abort the climb and head back to the
national Capital. Standard operating procedures for engine malfunction were activated at Delhi airport, and the aircraft landed safely. No injuries were reported. Airline officials indicated that the return was prompted by a suspected engine-related issue. The aircraft has been grounded for inspection.
Pawan Hans Helicopter Ditches Near Mayabunder Hours later, a helicopter operated by Pawan Hans made an emergency landing in the sea near Mayabunder in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The helicopter had taken off from Port Blair and was attempting to land when it reportedly ditched into the sea about 300 metres short of the runway at approximately 9:30 am.
The aircraft was carrying two crew members and five passengers. Authorities confirmed that all seven occupants were rescued safely, with no injuries reported. Officials described the episode as a “short landing incident” and said further investigations are underway to ascertain the technical or operational factors involved.
Seven Killed In Air Ambulance Crash In Jharkhand Meanwhile, on Monday evening, a medical evacuation flight operated by Redbird Airways Pvt Ltd crashed in Jharkhand’s Chatra district, killing all seven people on board.
The aircraft had taken off from Ranchi at 7:11 pm en route to Delhi. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the crew established contact with Kolkata Air Traffic Control and later sought a route deviation due to adverse weather conditions. Around 7:34 pm, communication and radar contact were lost.
Preliminary findings suggest a thunderstorm may have contributed to the crash. Rescue teams recovered all seven occupants from the wreckage near Simariya, with no survivors.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu expressed grief over the tragedy. “Deeply pained by the tragic air ambulance crash in Jharkhand. Loss of precious lives is heartbreaking. My condolences to the affected families in this moment of grief. The local administration and AAIB team have immediately responded for rescue and on-site investigation,” he said.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched a detailed probe to ascertain the exact cause of the crash.
Those killed included patient Sanjay Kumar Shaw, his wife Archana Devi, relative Dhruv Kumar, doctor Vikas Kumar Gupta, nurse Sachin Kumar Mishra, and pilots Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat and Captain Savrajdeep Singh.
A Mixed 24 Hours For Aviation Safety The back-to-back emergencies have drawn attention to aviation safety protocols, particularly in challenging weather conditions and remote terrains. While the Jharkhand air ambulance crash underscores the risks associated with medical evacuation flights during adverse weather, the swift and precautionary responses in the Delhi and Andaman incidents helped avert further tragedy.
Investigations are ongoing in all three cases, with regulatory authorities expected to examine weather data, aircraft maintenance records, and cockpit communication to piece together the sequence of events. For now, the nation mourns seven lives lost, even as two potential disasters were narrowly avoided.
