Odisha / Rourkela Plane Crash Victim Sushant Biswal Succumbs To Injuries
Key Points
- Passenger Sushant Biswal dies after Rourkela crash injuries.
- IndiaOne Air aircraft made belly-landing near Jalda due to malfunction.
- DGCA and AAIB launch probe into mechanical failure.
- Incident renews debate on aviation safety and regulatory oversight
Rourkela, Jan 17: One of the passengers injured in the
recent plane crash near Rourkela in Odisha died while undergoing treatment,
officials said on Saturday.
The deceased, identified as Sushant Biswal, a resident of Bada Byas in
Rourkela, had sustained serious injuries in the accident.
The incident occurred on January 10 when a nine-seater IndiaOne Air aircraft, operating a regional connectivity service from Rourkela to Bhubaneswar, developed a technical malfunction shortly after take-off. The pilot executed a belly-landing on grassland near Jalda in the Raghunathpali area, narrowly avoiding a residential locality.
At least six passengers were injured, one of them critically, while the pilot sustained major injuries. All were rushed to local hospitals before being transferred to the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) Hospital for specialised care. Two passengers, Savita Agrawal and Sunil Agrawal, were later airlifted to Mumbai for advanced treatment and are reported to be stable.
Odisha’s Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena praised the pilot’s presence of mind, stating that “a major tragedy was averted.” Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi directed officials to ensure the best medical care for the victims.
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Hospital sources said that while most passengers are stable, another injured passenger, Susanta Kumar Biswal, remains in critical condition due to head injuries and co-morbidities.
The aircraft’s fuselage was damaged, with its nose-gear sheared off, though the wings remained intact. Local residents rushed to the site and assisted in rescue operations immediately after the emergency landing.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) have begun a formal probe into the mechanical failure. State authorities facilitated the inspection teams’ arrival in Rourkela by helicopter to expedite the investigation.
This accident has reignited concerns over aviation safety in India, following the Air India crash in Ahmedabad in June 2025 and a rise in technical diversions.
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