The government provided clarification on the unfortunate incident involving a chartered flight that crashed in Afghanistan, carrying six individuals. Emphasizing that the aircraft was not of Indian origin, the authorities specified that the Russian plane in question had undergone refuelling at Gaya airport in Bihar as part of its journey from Thailand to Moscow. This disclosure was made by the civil aviation ministry on Sunday, aiming to dispel initial reports that wrongly linked the crash to an Indian carrier.
The ministry revealed that the aircraft, which operated as an air ambulance, was registered in Morocco, and therefore did not fall under the jurisdiction of any Indian carrier. In a statement posted on X, the ministry conveyed, "The unfortunate plane crash that has just occurred in Afghanistan is neither an Indian scheduled aircraft nor a non-scheduled (NSOP)/charter aircraft. It is a Moroccan-registered small aircraft. More details are awaited."
Furthermore, the ministry provided additional context, explaining that the air ambulance had embarked on its journey from Thailand to Moscow, with a layover for refuelling at Gaya airport in Bihar.
Regarding the specifics of the crash, Russian aviation authorities reported on Sunday that the charter plane, with six occupants, disappeared from radar screens while flying over a remote, mountainous area in Afghanistan's Badakhshan province. Contradictory reports initially emerged, prompting the civil aviation ministry to clarify the aircraft's registration and its non-association with Indian carriers.
According to Russian sources, the plane, engaged in a private medical evacuation from Thailand's Pattaya to Moscow, carried a seriously ill Russian patient accompanied by her husband, a private entrepreneur. The flight path included a layover in Gaya for refuelling. Tragically, the pilot faced challenges, reporting low fuel levels and subsequent engine malfunctions. The option to attempt a landing in Tajikistan was mentioned but became unfeasible as both engines malfunctioned.
Russia's Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal case to determine whether safety protocols were disregarded. The Taliban-run Afghan aviation ministry stated that the Russian plane's deviation from its intended route over Afghanistan was likely due to technical issues. The ministry is conducting a technical investigation into the incident.
