One passenger, who was critically injured during the emergency crash landing of a small aircraft near Odisha’s Rourkela, died on Saturday while being shifted to the airport for airlifting to Mumbai, an officer said.
The deceased passenger, Susanta Biswal (47), was undergoing treatment at a private hospital after the crash, the state’s Directorate of Civil Aviation said in a statement this evening.
Officials, however, said that his sister, Anita Sahoo, who was also injured in the crash, remains in stable condition.
The incident occurred on the afternoon of January 10, when a nine-seater IndiaOne aircraft carrying six people, including two pilots, was forced to make a crash landing near Rourkela.
Following the accident, two of the injured were airlifted to Mumbai at their own request, while the remaining four—comprising the two pilots and Biswal—were admitted to a private hospital for treatment in Rourkela city.
Despite receiving immediate medical attention and constant medical supervision, Biswal’s recovery was complicated due to pre-existing heart and renal failure. Subsequently, he developed a severe lung infection, which led to further deterioration of his health, it said.
Given the gravity of his medical state, the government arranged for him to be transported to Mumbai via air ambulance for specialized tertiary-level care.
“However, while being transferred to the air ambulance, the patient suffered a massive cardiac arrest and collapsed. Despite the best efforts of the attending medical team, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 4:23 pm on Saturday,” the directorate said.
A family member accompanied Biswal throughout the entire treatment and evacuation process. “In this moment of deep grief, we stand in solidarity with the bereaved family,” the statement said.
The airline has assured compensation to the victim’s next of kin in accordance with established regulations, noting that all medical and emergency protocols were strictly followed, it sad.
Meanwhile, a team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has concluded its on-site investigation into the crash in Odisha and is expected to submit a report to the relevant authorities soon.
