Uttarakhand: Seven dead in Rudraprayag as helicopter carrying pilgrims crashes
Seven persons died on Sunday in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district when a helicopter carrying pilgrims taking part in the Char Dham Yatra crashed near the Gaurikund area, The Indian Express reported.
The helicopter, which was travelling from Kedarnath to Guptkashi, went missing around 5.20 am, Inspector General (Law and Order) Nilesh Bharne said. The crash took place at Gauri Mai Khark, which is about 5 kilometres uphill from Gaurikund.
The pilot of the helicopter – Captain Rajbir Singh Chauhan from Jaipur – was among those killed, The Indian Express reported. The others were Vikram Rawat from Uttarakhand, Vinod Devi and Trishti Singh from Uttar Pradesh, Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal from Gujarat, Shraddha Rajkumar Jaiswal and two-year-old Kashi from Maharashtra.
The Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority said that the helicopter, a BELL 407 utility chopper belonging to a company named Aryan Aviation Private Limited, crashed because of unknown reasons.
Uttarakhand | A helicopter crash took place on the Kedarnath route, in the Gaurikund area under Rudraprayag district. According to preliminary information, bad weather is being considered as the possible cause of this accident. A total of 07 people were on board the helicopter.… pic.twitter.com/LetPONJwKy
— ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2025
This was the fifth helicopter accident in Uttarakhand in about 40 days, The Hindu reported. In the wake of the accidents, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered the formulation of a standard operating procedure for helicopter services in the state.
'The Chief Minister has directed the Chief Secretary to constitute a committee of technical experts that will conduct an in-depth review of all technical and safety aspects of helicopter operations and formulate the SOP,' The Indian Express quoted the chief minister's office as saying. 'This committee will ensure that heli-services operate in a safe, transparent manner and in strict adherence to established standards.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
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. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Heads Turn as Walgreens Shoppers Discover 87¢ ED Pills fridayplans Learn More Undo 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. " 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.
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Indrayani river bridge collapse: Officials say no clarity yet on who is responsible, minister says work of new bridge was pending
Soon after its collapse, confusion reigned supreme about who was responsible for the upkeep of the bridge on the Indrayani river at Kundamala near Talegaon Dabhade, which was over three decades old. Minister of Water Resources Girish Mahajan Sunday admitted that while tenders to build a new bridge were passed, the work was delayed due to the rain. 'The bridge was built in 1992, and recently a tender of Rs 7-8 crore was cleared to build a new bridge but the execution was delayed due to rain,' he said. Chandrakant Wagmare, additional chief executive officer of Pune Zilla Parishad, admitted they were not clear about who was responsible for the upkeep of the bridge. 'It is still not clear as to who had the responsibility, as this area fell under the Cantonment area. But action will be taken,' he said. Mahajan said that while it was a pedestrian bridge, two-wheelers used to ply on it. Local residents who spoke to The Indian Express also blamed the lack of upkeep as well as two wheelers plying on it for the collapse of the bridge. Located near the whirlpools and gorges of the river, Kundamala has become a tourist spot, especially during the rainy season. Due to the small waterfalls and the whirlpools, many tourists thronged the area, especially over the weekend. The bridge in question linked both sides of the river. For tourists, the bridge provided the perfect background for pictures and many thronged to take selfies. That the condition of the bridge was precarious was known to local residents. Aishwarya Gonte, a local resident, said that two-wheelers regularly used the bridge despite warnings. 'Locals had complained before but no one took up maintenance or repair works,' she said. Raghuvir Shelar, local corporator, said both sides had notices pasted prohibiting the entry of two-wheelers. 'But people used to regularly ply through it because no police personnel used to check the activity. The situation was so grave that protective grills were installed on the collapsed bridge around 10 days ago,' he said. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who is the minister in charge of public works, has ordered a survey of all old bridges in the state.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Pilot killed in Kedarnath crash was Army veteran, wife serving as Lt Col
Dehradun/Jaipur: Among the seven killed in the helicopter crash near Gaurikund on the Kedarnath route on Sunday was the pilot, 37-year-old Lt Colonel (Retd) Rajveer Singh Chouhan from Jaipur. After serving in the Indian Army for over 15 years since 2009, Chouhan had begun his career in civil aviation just eight months ago, joining Aryan Aviation Private Limited, the operator of the ill-fated chopper, in Oct 2024. He was scheduled to return home soon to his wife, a Lt Colonel in the Army, to celebrate the birth of their twins, born a few months ago. As his father, Govind Singh, prepared for the celebrations, the family received the devastating news that Chouhan's helicopter had crashed around 5.30 am shortly after take-off. "He had just started the next chapter of his life," said a family friend. "The twins brought so much joy. Preparations were on for a traditional ceremony at home. No one imagined something so horrific would happen." With over 2,000 hours of flying experience, Chouhan had served in both the Regiment of Artillery and the Army Aviation Corps. According to his LinkedIn profile, he was involved in aerial operations, logistics, disaster response and risk assessment. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Everybody Is Switching To This Enterprise Accounting Software [Take a Look] Accounting ERP Click Here Undo He had also undergone extensive training in helicopter operations, aviation safety, aircraft maintenance, and mission-critical logistics. Last year, he completed a full-time general management programme for defence officers in business administration and management from FMS Delhi. Since joining Aryan Aviation, he had been flying the Bell 407 helicopter. As news of his death came, relatives and friends gathered at his Jaipur home to mourn the loss of the former officer who was described as calm, tenacious and deeply committed to his duty. "He was a determined and courageous officer but always wore a gentle smile," said a former colleague. "Even in the most stressful situations, Rajveer remained composed and motivated everyone around him." His family left for Uttarakhand on Sunday evening to bring back his body. Rajasthan chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma expressed his condolences over the tragedy and said, "The loss of a brave pilot from Rajasthan and other devotees in the Kedarnath helicopter crash is deeply saddening. May Lord Kedarnath give peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families." Preliminary reports suggest that adverse weather may have contributed to the crash. Officials said the helicopter likely ran into dense fog and poor visibility in the narrow Himalayan valley. Besides Captain Chouhan, the others killed in the crash were identified as Vikram Rawat, 45, a Badri-Kedar temple committee representative from Ukhimath in Rudraprayag; Vinod Devi, 66, and Trishti Singh, 19, both from Uttar Pradesh; Rajkumar Jaiswal, 41, a coal transporter from Maharashtra; his wife Shraddha Jaiswal, 35; and their two-year-old daughter, Kashi.
