A helicopter transporting pilgrims from Kedarnath to Guptkashi in northern India’s Uttarakhand state crashed early Sunday morning, killing all seven people on board.
The incident occurred near Gaurikund, a remote location in the Himalayan region, shortly after takeoff.
The deceased include the pilot, Captain Rajveer Singh Chauhan, and six passengers: Vikram Rawat, Vinod Devi, Trishti Singh, Rajkumar Jaiswal, his wife Shraddha Jaiswal, and their two-year-old daughter Kashi.
Authorities confirmed that all bodies were badly burned due to a fire that broke out following the crash.
According to the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority, the Aryan Aviation Bell 407 helicopter (registration VT-BKA) took off at approximately 5:15 a.m. local time from Kedarnath, a significant Hindu pilgrimage site, heading to Guptkashi, roughly 37 kilometers away. Contact was lost minutes after departure.
“We received information around 5:00 a.m. that the helicopter from Shri Kedarnath Dham was missing. It was later discovered to have crashed near Gaurikund,” said an official from the state civil aviation department.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami described the crash as “very sad news” and announced that the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), along with local police and emergency teams, was immediately deployed to the crash site.
Preliminary reports suggest poor weather conditions may have caused the crash. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been directed to conduct a full investigation.
In response to the incident, helicopter services along the Char Dham Yatra route have been suspended until Monday, pending a full safety review. Chief Minister Dhami stated that all operators will be required to verify their pilots’ high-altitude flying experience before flights resume.
“There will be a strict review of standard operating procedures,” Dhami said in an official statement. “A common command and coordination center will be set up in Dehradun to improve safety and communication.”
The District Administration of Rudraprayag has been instructed to contact the victims’ families and ensure that the remains are transported to their respective states with dignity.
This marks the third fatal helicopter crash in Uttarakhand in less than two months.
This has raised concerns over the safety of chartered flights used by pilgrims to navigate the challenging Himalayan terrain.
