Rourkela, Jan 12: Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena visited the site of the plane crash that occurred on Saturday in the Jalda area of Rourkela, Sundargarh district, to assess the situation.

Describing the crash as "unfortunate," Jena assured the public that the state government is providing the best possible medical care to the injured.

During his visit, he engaged in discussions with senior officials, including Sundargarh District Collector and local representatives.

Speaking to the media, Jena said, "This incident is indeed unfortunate. We are deeply concerned and are investigating the cause of the crash. The state government is committed to providing top-tier medical care to those injured. The plane crashed just before landing, and of the six passengers on board, two have been airlifted to Mumbai for advanced treatment. We consider it a blessing that all were rescued safely, and we will ensure that such incidents do not recur. Teams from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have been deployed for an on-site inspection, and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has also been on-site since yesterday to aid in the investigation."

The incident involved a small 9-seater Indiawan Air VT-102 aircraft, which was en route to Rourkela from Bhubaneswar when it crashed shortly before landing. The aircraft had six people on board, including two pilots.

The injured passengers, identified as Anita Sahoo (50), Susanta Kumar Biswal (46), pilot Naveen Kadanga (46), and co-pilot Tarun Shrivastava (46), are currently receiving medical treatment, with their condition being closely monitored.