A tragic helicopter crash in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand on Sunday morning claimed the lives of all seven people on board. The helicopter was transporting passengers from the Kedarnath shrine to Guptkashi along a popular Hindu pilgrimage route in the Himalayas.
Following the incident, the Uttarakhand government immediately suspended helicopter services to Kedarnath Valley until Monday due to adverse weather conditions. This is after a string of recent incidents, including three emergency landings and another helicopter crash on the same route in the past month and a half.
Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, expressed his sorrow on social media, announcing that rescue teams were deployed to the Rudraprayag district where the crash occurred. He has also ordered a thorough inquiry into the cause of the crash.
Authorities plan to scrutinize helicopter pilots and operators, ensuring that only those with extensive experience flying in the challenging Himalayan terrain are permitted to continue. Helicopter services for the pilgrimage will resume only after a comprehensive meeting with all operators.
The crashed helicopter, a Bell 407 operated by Aryan Aviation, took off at 5:19 am local time on Saturday, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Attempts to reach Aryan Aviation for comment have been unsuccessful.
The Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage, which includes Kedarnath, attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees annually to Uttarakhand’s Himalayan mountains. Recognizing the safety concerns, India has already reduced the frequency of helicopter operations to the Char Dham route and is enhancing surveillance and reviewing operations for any necessary further actions.
