Seven people, including the pilot, died when a helicopter transporting pilgrims from Kedarnath to Guptkashi crashed in a forested area of Uttarakhand on Tuesday morning.
The crash occurred around 5:20am during the short 10-minute flight between Gaurikund and Sonprayag. According to the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), the victims included six pilgrims five adults and one child from various states including Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. The helicopter was operated by Aryan Aviation.
Preliminary investigations suggest a combination of poor weather and technical failure may have caused the crash. Local villagers discovered the wreckage while collecting fodder nearby. Rescue teams from the NDRF and SDRF were quickly deployed to the site.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami called the incident “extremely distressing” and confirmed that rescue operations were underway.
This is the fifth aviation related incident since the Kedarnath temple opened to pilgrims on 2 May. On 7 June, another helicopter made an emergency landing shortly after take-off due to a technical fault, narrowly avoiding buildings. While all passengers were unharmed, the pilot sustained minor injuries.
Authorities have expressed serious concerns about aviation safety during the Char Dham pilgrimage season and are calling for stricter regulations and inspections.
LND/SAE
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