A chartered aircraft crashed into a field near Rourkela in Odisha on Saturday afternoon, injuring six people. The incident caused panic among locals, who quickly rushed to the spot to help the victims.
The nine-seater A-1 private chartered flight took off from Bhubaneswar airport at 12:15 pm. It was scheduled to land at Rourkela. However, the aircraft crashed at Jarad village around 1:30 pm, just five kilometres away from the airport.
Farm workers in nearby fields noticed the aircraft descending abnormally. They immediately ran to the crash site and rescued the trapped passengers. Soon after, police from Raghunathapalli station arrived and shifted the injured to Rourkela Government Hospital.
The injured include passengers Anita Sahu, Sabita Agarwal, Sukanta Kumar Biswal, and Sunil Agarwal. The two pilots, Naveen Kadanga and Tarun Srivastava, also suffered injuries. Doctors confirmed that all six are stable and receiving treatment.
Initial reports indicate that engine failure caused the crash. However, officials said a detailed investigation will confirm the exact reason.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed shock over the incident. Meanwhile, State Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena ordered the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to conduct a thorough investigation.
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