5 pilgrims, toddler, pilot killed as Kedarnath chopper crashes amid severe weather
Dehradun: A helicopter carrying seven people — a toddler, five pilgrims and the pilot — crashed near Gaurikund on the Kedarnath route around 5.40am on Sunday, killing everyone on board.
The Bell 407 chopper, operated by Aryan Aviation, caught fire after the crash, leaving the bodies charred. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will lead the inquiry into Sunday's crash. This is the second fatal chopper crash during this year's Char Dham Yatra — on May 9, six people died in a crash near Gangnani in Uttarkashi district.
The helicopter, bearing registration number VT-BKA, had taken off from Kedarnath at 5:18am and likely ran into dense fog and poor visibility in the narrow Himalayan valley, officials said.
The regional meteorological centre had issued a yellow alert for heavy rain in 10 districts, including Rudraprayag, on Sunday. Preliminary reports suggest adverse weather may have played a role.
Captain Rajveer Singh Chauhan, the pilot and a resident of Jaipur, died in the crash along with Vikram Rawat, 45, a Badri-Kedar temple committee representative from Ukhimath in Rudraprayag; Vinod Devi, 66, and Trishti Singh, 19, both from UP; Rajkumar Jaiswal, 41, a coal transporter from Maharashtra; his wife Shraddha Jaiswal, 35; and their two-year-old daughter, Kashi.
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Rescue teams from SDRF and NDRF reached the densely forested and rugged crash site after navigating thick fog and challenging terrain. All seven bodies were recovered. District disaster management officer NK Rajwar said, "It seems the weather changed suddenly, creating foggy conditions that caused the chopper to lose its course, ultimately leading to the accident."
Rahul Choubey, district tourism officer and nodal officer for Kedarnath helicopter services, said: "The Aryan Aviation helicopter, which took off from Guptkashi, was the first to land at Kedarnath on Sunday morning.
Upon reviewing video footage, it appears that cloud formation had developed in the upper reaches of the valley, which the pilot may not have been aware of. The chopper was flying at a higher altitude, whereas two other helicopters that landed safely negotiated the clouds by flying at lower altitudes.
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The ministry of civil aviation confirmed the helicopter's 5:19am departure and announced enhanced oversight of Uttarakhand's helicopter network.
On June 7, a helicopter carrying five pilgrims crash-landed near Badasu in Rudraprayag; only the pilot was injured. DGCA has since halved the number of permitted flights per hour in the Char Dham corridor, placed officers inside the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority's control room, and suspended Aryan Aviation's operations pending review. Two TransBharat Aviation pilots were also grounded earlier this week for flying in unsuitable weather.
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