Airport authority official dies after air ambulance makes emergency landing in Dhaka over pressurisation issue

The AAI official died at a hospital. It has not been established whether the diversion or technical problem contributed to her death.

An Airports Authority of India (AAI) official being airlifted from Agartala to Kolkata for medical treatment died in Dhaka on Sunday after the aircraft carrying her made an emergency landing in the Bangladeshi capital following a reported cabin pressurisation problem, officials familiar with the matter told HT.

The aircraft’s main door partially opened while it was airborne at around 12,000 feet, the officials said. The aircraft landed safely in Dhaka. (REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/Representational)

Anjana Bhowmik had been unwell for several months and was on ventilator support when she was being shifted to Kolkata for further treatment, the officials said. She was taken to a hospital in Dhaka after the aircraft landed, but doctors declared her dead, Bangladeshi media reported. The circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear, and it has not been established whether the technical problem or the diversion contributed to it.

Aircraft emergency and landing

The Beechcraft King Air C90A, registered as VT-HYA and operated by SKB Infracon Pvt Ltd, was flying from Agartala to Kolkata on October 18 when the pilot declared an emergency and sought permission to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, citing pressurisation issues, one of the officials said.

“The pilot declared an emergency and sought landing at Dhaka as it was closest to the airport. The pilot informed ATC that the aircraft had pressurisation issues,” a second official said.

Seven people were on board, including Bhowmik, two pilots, a doctor, a paramedic and two attendants, according to an official. The two attendants were reportedly relatives of the patient. The other occupants were reported to be unharmed.

Aircraft operator and investigation

Queries sent to SKB Infracon did not elicit a response. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) also did not respond to a request for comment. It was not immediately clear whether the regulator had initiated an inquiry or taken any action against the operator.

The aircraft was manufactured in 1994 and was initially used by the Haryana government before being operated by SKB Infracon, according to information available about the aircraft.

Bhowmik’s background and safety context

Bhowmik, originally from Guwahati, had been associated with AAI since the early 1990s, people familiar with her background in Agartala said. She was posted at Agartala airport around two years ago, they added.

Aviation safety expert Mohan Ranganathan said a pressurisation problem at higher altitudes could pose risks related to oxygen supply and require a rapid descent. “One does not face oxygen issues until 10,000 ft. Above this altitude, one needs to descend quickly as they need help with oxygen supply,” he said.

A former Beechcraft pilot said the aircraft’s altitude of around 12,000 feet meant oxygen support could be necessary for those on board. He added that the pilots appeared to have managed the emergency effectively, but the circumstances of the incident would need to be established.

The cause of Bhowmik’s death has not been established. It was also not clear whether an investigation had determined the cause of the reported pressurisation problem or the circumstances in which the aircraft’s door partially opened.