An air ambulance rushing from Delhi to Bangkok via Kolkata crashed near the Thai capital on the evening of Monday, March 6, resulting in the death of the pilot. Four other people – including two doctors and a nurse – who were aboard the plane have sustained injuries. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has directed her ministry to help them.
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The air ambulance was sent to Thailand to bring back a patient who was suffering from a lung problem. What is known so far is that the flight took off from Delhi, stopped in Kolkata for refuelling and then proceeded towards Bangkok. However, it caught fire over Thailand and crash-landed at the Nakhon Pathom airport near Bangkok on Monday night.
Sushma Swaraj takes cognisance
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was quick to take cognisance of the situation. She took to Twitter on Monday night to say in a series of tweets: "The air ambulance of Medanta Hospital with five member crew caught fire and crashlanded near Bangkok. The injured were shifted to Bangkok Hospital by Army helicopters."
The pilot, who was wounded in the crash, succumbed to his injuries. Swaraj then tweeted: "Our Mission has just informed me that we have lost pilot of the Air Ambulance Arunaksha Nandy. Dr Shailendra and Dr Komal are in the ICU. The other two have sustained minor injuries. Our Mission is extending them all help and assistance." She also extended "heartfelt condolences to the family of the pilot."
Medanta responds
Medanta chairman and managing director Naresh Trehan said he had been informed of the accident, and that the organisation was closely monitoring the health conditions of the injured. He was quoted by news agencies as saying: "We are getting to know that the injuries are not life-threatening."
Meanwhile, Medanta is now believed to have sent another team of medical professionals to Thailand for its own injured professionals. Trehan has also been quoted as saying that the families of the injured will be flown out to Thailand on Tuesday.
