Delhi: Hundreds escape, 10 killed as BSF plane crashes in Dwarka

Hundreds of people had a lucky escape on Tuesday after a Ranchi-bound BSF aircraft narrowly missed an express train and crashed in west Delhi’s Dwarka after developing a technical snag, killing all ten on board.

Sources told HT the pilot noticed the technical issue minutes after taking off at 9.37 am but avoided the Delhi-Ahmadabad Ashram Express that was passing through a nearby railway crossing and other residential areas to avoid more casualties. The twin-engine Superking plane eventually crashed into the airport’s boundary wall and burst into flames.

“It was a Beech Superking B – 200 aircraft with VT-BSA registration,” an Airport spokesperson told HT.

Ten BSF technical officials - RP Yadav, Rajesh shivrain, BP Bhatt, D Kumar, SN sharma, Ravindra Kr, Chote lal, DP chouhan, Sundar Singh and K Rawat - were on board.

“Pained by the loss of lives in the BSF plane crash in Delhi. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted as home minister Rajnath Singh rushed to the spot.

Read | PM Modi, Sonia Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal offer condolences

Authorities rushed 21 fire tenders to the spot to douse billowing clouds of smoke and fire and minister of state for civil aviation, Mahesh Sharma, said the government has ordered an inquiry.

“21 fire tenders were rushed. 7 persons fell into the septic tank after the crash,” chief fire officer said.

Eyewitnesses said the plane hit a wall outside the technical area of the airport before bursting into flames and then crashed into a water body.

“We saw a plane spiralling down which crashed near the wall where work was going on. I could sport one body. A labourer who was working was also injured,” an eye witness Suraj said.

The BSF air wing has a fleet of four fixed wing aircraft - one Embraer, two Avros and the crashed Superking (SKA B-200).

Besides 15 helicopters consisting of six MI-17 1V, two advanced Mi-17 V5 choppers, six Advance Light Helicopters (Dhruv) and one Cheetah helicopter operating under the command of the Union Home Ministry.

The Superking was inducted in 1994-95 in the border guarding force for air support roles.

Here are some pictures from the crash site.