Rourkela: Six Injured After Small Aircraft Makes Forced Landing
Rourkela witnessed a tense afternoon on Saturday when a small chartered aircraft belonging to IndiaOne Air made a forced landing near Jalda A Block under Raghunathpali police limits.
The Caravan 208 aircraft (Regn. VT-KSS), which had departed Bhubaneswar at 12:27 PM and was scheduled to land in Rourkela at 1:15 PM, encountered suspected technical issues about eight nautical miles short of its destination.
Onboard were four passengers and two crew members—Capt. Naveen Kadanga and Capt.
Tarun Srivastava. All six sustained injuries, including passengers Susanta Kumar Biswal, Anita Sahoo, Sunil Agarwal, and Sabita Agarwal. They were rushed to JP Hospital and RGH in Rourkela for treatment.
Fortunately, no fatalities were reported.
District administration, police, and three fire brigade units coordinated swift rescue operations.
The Directorate of Civil Aviation has reported the incident to DGCA and AAIB, who will conduct a detailed investigation into the suspected engine fault.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed grief and assured the best medical care for the injured, stating he is personally monitoring the situation.
Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena confirmed all passengers are safe and ordered a probe.
Bhubaneswar Airport Director Prasanna Pradhan clarified that it was a forced landing, not a crash, likely due to mechanical failure.
The incident has reignited concerns about aviation safety on regional routes, with authorities promising a thorough inquiry.