17-05-2025
Close shave for 3 as AIIMS-R air ambulance crash-lands near Kedarnath helipad
Dehradun: A
Sanjeevani air ambulance
deployed by
AIIMS-Rishikesh
crash-landed near the Kedarnath helipad after its tail hit the ground during landing around 11:50am on Saturday. The three onboard — the pilot, a doctor, and nursing staff — escaped unhurt.
The air ambulance had been dispatched to airlift Sridevi, who was suffering from acute respiratory distress.
District tourism officer Rahul Choubey, also the helicopter services in-charge for Kedarnath, said, "We requested AIIMS-Rishikesh for an air ambulance. Due to a technical issue, the helicopter couldn't land at the helipad and attempted a landing in the adjacent ground, where the tail broke off." He said a technical probe will be conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to determine the cause.
An AIIMS-Rishikesh press note quoted medical superintendent professor Dr B Satya Sree and heli ambulance nodal officer Dr Madhur Uniyal as saying, "On May 17, 2025, at 11:05am, a Sanjeevani Heli Ambulance aircraft departed for Kedarnath Dham. The helicopter carried a pilot, an emergency medicine doctor, and a nursing officer. Around 11:50am, it made a touchdown before landing. Fortunately, all three—pilot, doctor, and nurse—are unharmed.
"
The Sanjeevani air ambulance has been provided to AIIMS-Rishikesh by a private firm. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had virtually inaugurated the initiative on Oct 29, terming it the country's first free helicopter
emergency medical service
. Under the '
Sanjeevani Yojana
', the programme was launched to provide rapid, life-saving medical support to accident victims and patients in difficult terrains.
A post from the official X handle of the Rudraprayag district magistrate stated, "A major accident was averted due to the pilot's presence of mind.
A Sanjeevani helicopter ambulance arriving for the rescue of a female devotee at Kedarnath had to make an emergency landing due to a technical fault. The pilot acted promptly and landed safely before reaching the main helipad. All onboard are safe. DGCA will conduct a technical investigation.
"
This is the third chopper-related incident reported in Uttarakhand over the last 10 days. On May 8, a helicopter carrying Char Dham pilgrims crashed near Gangnani on the Gangotri route in Uttarkashi district, killing six and seriously injuring one. On May 13, a chopper blade hit a parked vehicle at Badrinath, after which the operator, Thambi Aviation, was temporarily grounded. The helicopter had brought pilgrims from Phata and the mishap occurred during take-off.
