Sri Vijaya Puram | March 4, 2026
Mr. TSG Bhasker, Chairman of the Campaign Committee of the Andaman and Nicobar Territorial Congress Committee (ANTCC), has expressed serious concern over the manner in which a critically ill passenger was handled following the recent helicopter incident at Mayabunder on February 24, 2026.
Although the incident reportedly resulted in no immediate casualties, one of the passengers, Mrs. Nambi Amma, is said to have ingested water into her lungs during the mishap. She was shifted from Mayabunder to Sri Vijaya Puram by road ambulance on February 25. The journey, which reportedly took nearly seven hours along the poorly maintained NH-4 road, is believed to have worsened her condition. Upon arrival in Sri Vijaya Puram, she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and placed on ventilator support. She later passed away on the evening of February 27.
Raising questions over the availability of emergency medical facilities in Mayabunder, Bhasker pointed out that the town is a District Headquarters and should have the necessary infrastructure to manage critical cases. He questioned whether the attending medical personnel at Mayabunder Hospital possessed the required qualifications and expertise to handle such a serious medical emergency. He also expressed concern over the decision to transport the patient by road for several hours instead of arranging immediate air evacuation.
According to Bhasker, if a helicopter operated by Pawan Hans was not available, the Administration should have sought urgent assistance from agencies such as the Indian Coast Guard, the Navy, or the Air Force to airlift the patient without delay. He also raised doubts over whether a qualified doctor accompanied the patient during the ambulance transfer and whether the ambulance was properly equipped with oxygen support, monitoring systems, and other life-saving equipment necessary for a critically ill patient.
Bhasker alleged that the apparent lack of preparedness and timely decision-making may have contributed to the deterioration of the patient’s condition. He said the incident highlights serious shortcomings in the Islands’ emergency response and disaster management systems.
Considering the gravity of the matter, Bhasker has demanded a thorough, impartial, and time-bound inquiry into the entire sequence of events. He has also called for fixing accountability for any lapses and urged the authorities to take immediate corrective measures to strengthen emergency medical infrastructure and evacuation systems across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to prevent similar incidents in the future.
