An IndiaOne Air flight crashed at Jalda near Rourkela on Saturday afternoon en route to Bhubaneswar.
All six of the passengers and the pilot are said to be in a stable condition, sustaining only minor injuries.
Sources said that the mishap occurred shortly after the aircraft took off. The flight crashed into an isolated field.
Local civilians reportedly helped the trapped passengers escape the aircraft before the arrival of the Fire and rescue services.
After reaching the site, the fire services secured the area y preventing oil leakage through the application of foam. Rescue teams also evacuated all the passengers and sent them to the hospital. Rourkela Superintendent of Police SP said that the area was cordoned off as a precaution.
The plane crashed about 10 to 15 kilometres from Rourkela, where it was scheduled to fly from, at around 1.
A technical snag in the flight reportedly led the pilots to attempt an emergency landing near Jalda in a farmland. “It is to inform that India One Air type of aircraft (Caravan 208), bearing registration VT-KSS, was flying from Bhubaneswar to Rourkela. It departed at 12:27 hours. It had two pilots and four passengers. The aircraft force-landed at a place near Jalda. The pilots ensured a safe landing, due to which lives have been saved,” the Odisha government said in a statement.
A statement made by India One Air said,“Shortly after take-off, the flight crew reported a technical issue and prudently declared a ‘Mayday’ call in accordance with established safety procedures. Acting decisively and professionally, the pilots carried out a forced landing in an open area near Kansor, approximately 15–20 km short of Rourkela at about 1.20 pm.”
“The airline is working closely with the aviation regulators and the Odisha State Government to provide all necessary assistance and support to the passengers and crew, and to facilitate further actions as required,” the statement added.
Administration officials stated that a detailed investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident.
