Aircraft Crashes in Rourkela, Pilot Among 8 Injured; Probe Ordered
New Delhi: A major aviation mishap was narrowly averted on Saturday in Odisha’s Rourkela when a nine-seater IndiaOne Air aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff near the Jagda Block area, close to the Rourkela airstrip. The aircraft was carrying two pilots and six passengers. All eight onboard, including the pilots, sustained injuries, though their condition is reported to be stable.
According to preliminary information, the aircraft was operating a flight from Rourkela to Bhubaneswar. Soon after takeoff, the Charlie-208 model aircraft developed a technical snag and went down near the airstrip. Fortunately, there were no fatalities in the incident.
Emergency services rushed to the spot immediately after receiving information about the crash. Firefighters from the Rourkela and Panposh fire stations assisted in rescue operations, and all the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment. The injured pilots have been identified as Captain Naveen Kadanga and co-pilot Tarun Srivastava. Among the passengers injured are Sushant Kumar Bival, Anita Sahu, Sunil Agrawal, and Sabita Agrawal.
The aircraft crashed in the Jalda area, around 10 kilometers from Rourkela. Following the incident, the administration and concerned agencies were put on high alert, and adequate security and relief measures were put in place in the area.
Bhubaneswar Airport Director Prasanna Pradhan confirmed the incident and said that an investigation is underway. Odisha Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena termed the crash unfortunate but said it was a matter of relief that no major casualties occurred. He added that all injured persons are stable and have suffered only minor injuries.
Airport sources said the aircraft was operating a regular flight between Rourkela and Bhubaneswar for a private operator. A mechanical failure is being considered the likely cause of the crash. Authorities have ordered a detailed investigation to ascertain the exact reason behind the accident.