At least six people suffered minor injuries after a small aircraft operated by a private airline made a crash landing near Rourkela in Odisha on Saturday, officials confirmed.
The incident occurred at Jalda, around 10 kilometres from Rourkela. Odisha Commerce and Transport Minister BB Jena said the aircraft was a nine-seater operating a regular regional service.
“One A-1 nine-seater private flight carrying six passengers met with an accident near Rourkela. All passengers sustained only minor injuries and are stable. By the grace of God, this is not a major accident,” the minister told reporters.
Aircraft details clarified
According to Prasanna Pradhan, Director of Biju Patnaik International Airport, the aircraft was operated by IndiaOne Air.
“The flight was travelling between Bhubaneswar and Rourkela and made a crash landing about 10 kilometres before reaching Rourkela. There were four passengers and two crew members on board. All are safe,” he said, adding that the aircraft involved was a Cessna 208.
Rescue and response
Rescue teams rushed to the spot soon after the incident, and the injured were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment. Airport sources said the flight was part of a regular service connecting Rourkela and Bhubaneswar.
Minister BB Jena said the state government has informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation about the incident. “Our director will also visit the accident site shortly,” he added.
Investigation underway
While all occupants are reported to be safe and stable, authorities said an investigation will be carried out to determine the cause of the crash landing. Further details are expected after technical inspections and preliminary reports are completed.