Seven people, including a pilot, lost their lives when a helicopter ferrying pilgrims from Kedarnath temple to Guptkashi crashed into a forested area between Gaurikund and Sonprayag in Uttarakhand.
The Aryan Aviation chopper, on a brief 10-minute flight, went down around 5:20 AM under adverse weather conditions. All seven onboard — six pilgrims (including a 23-month-old child) and the pilot — were charred to death in the crash, according to a statement from the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA).
The tragedy occurred as the helicopter was returning from Kedarnath Dham. Weather conditions reportedly worsened mid-flight.
“The weather turned bad during the return journey. The pilot attempted to steer the chopper out of the valley but it crashed near Gaurikund,” said Rahul Chaubey of the District Tourism Development Office.
Rescue and recovery efforts are being led by NDRF and SDRF teams.
Following the incident, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced that all helicopter services in the region will be suspended for two days.
“Passenger safety is our top priority,” he told ANI. “Services will resume only after ensuring all safety measures are in place.”
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will conduct a detailed probe into the crash.
Victims Identified
Among the deceased was Vikram Rawat, an employee of the Badarinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), hailing from Ukhimath, Uttarakhand. Three other victims belonged to the same family from Yavatmal, Maharashtra — Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal, his wife Shraddha Jaiswal, and their 23-month-old daughter, Kashi Rajkumar Jaiswal. The couple’s elder son, Vivaan, survived as he had stayed back with his grandfather.
