Kedarnath-Bound Helicopter Crashes in Uttarakhand; 7 Dead, Including a Toddler

Kedarnath Helicopter Crash: A helicopter flying from Dehradun to Kedarnath crashed near Gaurikund on Sunday morning, all seven people onboard confirmed dead. The incident took place between Gaurikund and Trijuginarayan, in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. The crash happened around 5:20 am amid reports of bad weather and low visibility in the area.

According to officials, the Aryan Aviation helicopter took off from Kedarnath at 5:24 am and was headed towards Guptkashi when it lost contact mid-air. A few minutes later, reports emerged of a crash near Sonprayag, with locals and Nepalese labourers reporting a forest fire and smoke rising from a hilltop. The crash site was soon located between Gaurikund and Trijuginarayan.

Police confirmed that six people were on board, five adults and a 23-month-old girl. All have been missing, there is no reports of casualties. The passengers have been identified as:

1.Captain Rajbir Singh Chauhan - Pilot (Jaipur)

2.Vikram Rawat BKTC- Resident Rasi Ukhimath

3.Vinod Devi- Resident Uttar Pradesh- Age 66

4.Trishti Singh- Resident Uttar Pradesh- Age 19 years

5.Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal- Resident Gujarat- Age 41 years

6.Shraddha Rajkumar Jaiswal- Resident Maharashtra

7.Kashi resident Maharashtra girl age 02 years

Initial reports suggest that the deceased hailed from Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. Authorities are working to confirm their full details and inform the families.

Uttrakhand CM Dhami Expresses Grief, Orders Rescue Efforts

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep grief over the accident. In a statement, he said, “I am deeply saddened by the helicopter crash in Rudraprayag district. I pray to Baba Kedar for the safety of all the passengers. SDRF, local administration, and other rescue teams have been deployed and are engaged in relief and rescue operations.”

Authorities Launch Rescue and Investigation

Teams from NDRF and SDRF have been rushed to the site for rescue and recovery. The Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) has confirmed that bad weather may have played a role in the crash. The exact cause is being investigated.

This crash raises fresh concerns about the safety of helicopter services during the Char Dham Yatra. Several accidents have been reported in recent years on the Kedarnath route. In response to past incidents, officials had reduced helicopter sorties by 60 flights per day. However, despite the cutbacks, such tragedies continue to occur.

Authorities are currently securing the crash site and assessing the damage. A formal inquiry is expected. Further details on the investigation and safety review are awaited.