Rourkela: A 47-year-old passenger, who was injured in the force-landing of a nine-seater aircraft near Rourkela on Jan 10, died at a private hospital here on Saturday, moments before being airlifted to Mumbai for advanced treatment.The deceased was identified as Susanta Kumar Biswal, a crane supervisor and resident of Vedvyas Nadiatola area of the city. He had been undergoing treatment since the force-landing. In a statement issued on Saturday evening, the hospital said Biswal, a known patient of heart and renal failure, had remained critically ill despite intensive care. His condition further deteriorated after he developed a lung infection. “Despite timely medical intervention and coordinated efforts for advanced life-saving care, the patient unfortunately suffered a massive heart attack while being shifted to an air ambulance,” the hospital said, adding that he was declared dead at 4.23 pm. Sources said two days before, Biswal’s family had requested the state transport department to arrange his air evacuation due to his worsening condition. An air ambulance from Mumbai had reached Rourkela airport on Saturday. On Jan 10, the aircraft, operated by IndiaOne Air, was flying from Bhubaneswar to Rourkela when it reportedly scraped a high-tension electric wire and made a force-landing in a field at Kainser village, about 10 km from Rourkela airport. All six persons on board — four passengers and two pilots — sustained injuries and had to be rescued by locals. Biswal is survived by his wife and two sons aged 22 and 15. His elder son studies at a private engineering college in Bhubaneswar.
