Minister Reviews Rourkela Plane Crash Site, Assures Care

Bhubaneswar: Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena on Sunday visited the site of the plane crash at Jalda area of Rourkela in Sundargarh district to review the situation and oversee relief measures.

Terming the incident as “unfortunate,” the Minister said the state government is ensuring the best possible medical care for all those injured in the crash. During his visit, Jena held discussions with senior officials, including the Sundargarh District Collector and local representatives, to assess the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Speaking to the media, Jena said the aircraft crashed just before landing and assured that a detailed investigation is underway to ascertain the exact cause. “The safety of all passengers is a blessing. We are concerned about the incident and will ensure that such occurrences do not happen again,” he said.

He added that teams from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have been facilitated to conduct an on-site inspection, while officials from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) have been present at the crash site since Saturday to carry out a thorough investigation.

According to official sources, the 9-seater IndiaOne Air aircraft (VT-102), operating on the Bhubaneswar–Rourkela route, crashed shortly before landing. There were six persons on board, including two pilots.

Of the injured, two passengers were airlifted to Mumbai for advanced medical treatment. The remaining injured—Anita Sahoo (50), Susanta Kumar Biswal (46), pilot Naveen Kadanga (46), and co-pilot Tarun Shrivastava (46)—are undergoing treatment, and their condition is being closely monitored by doctors.

Authorities have reiterated that all necessary steps are being taken to ensure passenger safety and prevent similar incidents in the future.