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Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Chopper crash: Heli services suspended till Mon, Dhami orders probe
Dehradun/New Delhi: In the wake of the Kedarnath helicopter crash that claimed seven lives, the Uttarakhand govt suspended all Aryan Aviation operations for the Char Dham Yatra with immediate effect. As a precaution, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) halted all chartered and shuttle flights in the region on June 15 and 16. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered a high-level probe into the incident and directed strict action in case of negligence. The decision was taken at a meeting convened by Dhami with senior govt officials, civil aviation secretary, DGCA representatives and other stakeholders at his residence on Sunday. At the meeting, it was decided that two TransBharat Aviation helicopters—VT-TBC (Capt Yogesh Grewal, CPL(H)-1453) and VT-TBF (Capt Jitender Harjai, CPL(H)-1046)—had flown in similar unfavourable conditions, prompting six-month licence suspensions for both pilots. Dhami said, "Protecting the lives of people is our top priority. Any lapse that risks lives will not be tolerated. Strict punitive action will be taken against those responsible." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo To enhance oversight and safety, a Common Command and Coordination Centre will be set up in Dehradun. The CM said only pilots with extensive experience in flying in high Himalayan terrain will be allowed to operate in the Char Dham sector. The centre will include officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the disaster management department, civil aviation, UCADA and representatives of heli-operator companies. Dhami also instructed the formation of a technical committee under the home secretary to draft a new standard operating procedure (SOP) prioritising public safety. The SOP will mandate pre-flight technical checks, accurate weather assessments, installation of live weather cameras at helipads, and the deployment of experienced pilots. Only twin-engine helicopters will be allowed for commercial operations. The committee, comprising officials from DGCA, UCADA, the ministry of civil aviation and Air Traffic Control (ATC), is expected to submit its report by Sept. The CM also called for stricter enforcement of DGCA guidelines and ordered the installation of advanced weather forecasting systems in the Himalayan region to improve flight safety. "The helicopter services must be completely safe, transparent and in accordance with prescribed standards. Passenger safety cannot be compromised, especially in the sensitive and high-altitude Char Dham region," Dhami said. The Rudraprayag district administration has been tasked with facilitating the safe return of the victims' mortal remains to their respective states. Senior officials, including chief secretary Anand Bardhan, DGCA director general Faiz Ahmad Kidwai, civil aviation secretary Sameer Kumar Sinha and disaster management authorities, attended the meeting virtually.
Mint
a day ago
- Mint
Aryan Aviation operations suspended for Char Dham Yatra after copter crash
Mumbai, Jun 15 (PTI) The government has suspended the operations of Aryan Aviation for the Char Dham Yatra with immediate effect following the accident of one of the firm's helicopters in the Kedarnath region on Sunday morning, according to an official release. The helicopter took off from Guptkashi at 05:10 am and landed at Shri Kedarnath Ji Helipad at 05:18 am. It departed again at 05:19 am for Guptkashi and is reported to have crashed near Gaurikund between 05:30-05:45 am, the Civil Aviation Ministry said. There were five passengers, one infant, and one crew member on board. Earlier the Uttarakhand government announced suspension of charter and shuttle helicopter operations in the region on June 15 and 16 as a safety precaution. Preliminary indications suggest that the probable cause may be Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT), with the helicopter reportedly airborne despite poor visibility and extensive clouding at the valley entry area, the ministry said. The exact cause will be determined through a detailed investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), it added. It said that the DGCA has been directed by the Civil Aviation Ministry to immediately post officers from airworthiness, safety, and operations to actively oversee all helicopter activity in the Kedarnath Valley, and rigorously review the functioning of the UCADA command-and-control room. Two helicopters belonging to TransBharat Aviation - VT-TBC with Yogesh Grewal as pilot in command and VT-TBF with ( Jitender Harjai as PIC were found to have been airborne under similar unsuitable weather conditions. Accordingly, the licenses of both pilots have been suspended for six months, the ministry said. Seven people were killed as a helicopter carrying them from the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand crashed early Sunday in the forests of Gaurikund amid poor visibility.
