New Delhi: All the 10 people on board a small Ranchi-bound Border Security Force (BSF) plane carrying technical personnel were killed when it crashed near Dwarka Tuesday and burst into flames just outside the IGI airport here shortly after take-off. The victims included one person from Kendrapara.
Aviation sources said the accident happened at 9.50 am when the twin-engine Superking plane crashed into the airport boundary wall near a railway track and landed in a sewage treatment plant while returning apparently because of a technical problem five minutes after it took off for Ranchi.
The aircraft, which had two pilots on board, lost contact with Air Traffic Control, at 9.50 am, according to the sources.
“It is unfortunate that all 10 people, including the pilots, have died in the crash,” said the Union minister of state for civil aviation, Mahesh Sharma.
BSF sources said the technicians were on their way to Ranchi to repair a helicopter.
Police said six bodies have been recovered from the crash site.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in the crash. “Pained by the loss of lives in the BSF plane crash in Delhi. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased,” he said.
Eyewitnesses said the aircraft hit a wall outside the technical area of the airport before bursting into flames and then crashed into a waterbody.
“We saw a plane spiralling down. It crashed near the wall where work was going on,” recounted an eye witness, Suraj.
The area was engulfed in dense smoke and fire with pieces of the aircraft spread around. Delhi fire service chief AK Sharma said 15 fire tenders were rushed to the spot.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh briefed the Prime Minister about the crash and rushed to the site of the accident. The chiefs of BSF and SSB, DK Pathak and BD Sharma, have also rushed to the site.
The victims were identified as chief pilot of the aircraft and deputy commandant Bhagwati Prasad Bhatt of BSF, Rajesh Shivrain, second-in-command of paramilitary SSB and co-pilot of the ill-fated flight, deputy commandant D Kumar, inspector Raghvendra Kumar Yadav, inspector SN Sharma, sub-inspectors Ravindra Kumar, Surendra Singh, CL Sharma, ASI DP Chauhan and constable Kishore Kumar Rout of Deulatara village of Rajkanika block in Kendrapara district of Orissa.
Rout’s village was enveloped in a pall of gloom when news of the accident reached the place. PTI
