The family from Chandwa in Jharkhand’s Latehar district took a loan of nearly Rs 8 lakh borrowing from relatives and well-wishers to hire an air ambulance in a desperate bid to save 41-year-old Sanjay, a small restaurant owner who had suffered severe burn injuries. But the attempt to give him a second chance at life ended in unimaginable tragedy when the aircraft crashed in Chatra district, killing all seven people on board.
Sanjay had been critically injured last Monday after an electric short circuit at his modest hotel in Chandwa triggered a fire. The sole breadwinner of the family, he sustained serious burns while at work. With his condition deteriorating and local treatment options exhausted, the family decided to shift him to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi for advanced care. Along with Sanjay, his wife Archana, and his relative Dhruv also boarded the ill-fated air ambulance.
According to his brother Ajay, who is employed with the Haryana government, the family pooled together money through loans to arrange the costly air transfer, believing it was their only hope.
On Monday, the air ambulance took off from Ranchi carrying Sanjay, his wife Archana, relative Dhruv, along with medical staff and crew members. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft crashed in Chatra district. None of the seven people on board survived.
The victims have been identified as Captain Vivek Vikas Bhagat, the pilot-in-command, and Captain Savrajdeep Singh, the co-pilot. The medical team and passengers were identified as Sanjay Kumar (41), the patient; Archana Devi and Dhuru Kumar, attendants; Dr Vikas Kumar Gupta; and Sachin Kumar Mishra, paramedic.
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