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Time of India
8 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Toddler among 7 killed as Kedarnath chopper crashes amid bad weather
Toddler among 7 killed as Kedarnath chopper crashes amid bad weather (Photo: PTI) DEHRADUN: A helicopter carrying seven people - a toddler, five pilgrims and the pilot - crashed near Gaurikund on Kedarnath route around 5.40 am Sunday, killing all occupants. The Bell 407 chopper, operated by Aryan Aviation, caught fire after the crash, leaving the bodies charred. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau will lead the inquiry into the crash, the second fatal air accident during this year's Char Dham Yatra. On May 8, six people died in a crash near Gangnani in Uttarkashi district. The helicopter, bearing registration number VT-BKA, had taken off from Kedarnath at 5.18 am and likely ran into dense clouds 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 member from Ukhimath; 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 Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Rescue teams from SDRF and NDRF reached the densely forested crash site, navigating thick fog and challenging terrain. All seven bodies were recovered. District disaster management officer N K Rajwar said, "It seems weather changed suddenly, creating foggy conditions that caused the chopper to lose its course, leading to the accident."
Qatar Tribune
8 hours ago
- General
- Qatar Tribune
Seven people killed in helicopter crash in India's Uttarakhand state
NEW DELHI: Seven people, including a toddler, have been killed in India's northern Uttarakhand state when a helicopter ferrying them for a Hindu pilgrimage crashed in the Himalayas, officials said. Officials from the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority told reporters the chopper took off at about 5.30am (00:00 GMT) on Sunday from the temple town of Kedarnath for Guptkashi, a town some 37km away, but crashed shortly after takeoff. The deceased have been identified as the pilot, Captain Rajveer Singh Chauhan, and passengers Vikram Rawat, Vinod Devi, Trishti Singh, Rajkumar Jaiswal, his wife Shraddha Jaiswal and their two-year-old daughter, Kashi. The bodies were badly burned in a fire that followed the crash, authorities said. (Agencies)
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Seven killed in helicopter crash near Gaurikund in Kedarnath
New Delhi: Seven persons, including a pilot, were killed after a helicopter carrying pilgrims from Kedarnath to Guptkashi helipad crashed near Gaurikund in Uttarakhand at around 5.20 am on Sunday. This is the fifth helicopter accident on the Chardham Yatra route since the pilgrimage started on April 30. The deceased have been identified as Captain Rajvir Singh Chauhan (39), who was the pilot and a resident of Jaipur; Vikram Rawat, a representative of Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee and a native of Ukhimath (Uttarakhand); Vinod Devi (66) from UP; Tushti Singh (19) from UP; Rajkumar Jaiswal (49) from Maharashtra; Rajkumar's daughter Shradha Jaiswal (Maharashtra) and Kashi (2). According to the State Disaster Response Force, rough weather is said to be a possible reason for the crash. Soon after receiving the information, teams of SDRF, NDRF and the local police reached the dense forest and started the rescue operation. The teams recovered all the seven bodies. According to the PIB , an Aryan Aviation Bell 407 helicopter was carrying the pilgrims. Preliminary indications suggest that the probable cause may be the "Controlled Flight Into the Terrain", with the helicopter reportedly airborne despite poor visibility and extensive clouding in the valley entry area. "The exact cause will be determined after a detailed investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau," the release said. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a high-level meeting attended by top officials of the state government, including the secretary, civil aviation department. The state government has decided to suspend the operation of Aryan Aviation with immediate effect. As a safety precaution, all charter and shuttle helicopter operations in the region have been suspended on June 15 and 16. Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Authority (UCADA) has been directed to hold a comprehensive review with all operators and pilots before any resumption of services, to ensure full alignment with safety protocols. UCADA will also establish a dedicated Command-and-Control room centre to monitor real-time operations and ensure immediate escalation of any risk indicators. Kedarnath shrine has been witnessing a sharp rise in arrival of pilgrims. Pilgrims, who avoid trekking on the Kedarnath route, prefer to go by helicopter. So, there is a high demand for helicopters operating in Kedar valley.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- General
- 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.
The Star
16 hours ago
- General
- The Star
Seven people, including toddler, die in second Uttarakhand helicopter crash in 40 days
This photo shared by Uttarakhand Police on the X platform shows rescuers working at the site of a helicopter crash near Kedarnath, in Uttarakhand, India, Sunday, June 15, 2025. - Photo: Uttarakhand Police on X via AP NEW DELHI: Uttarakhand on Sunday (June 15) morning witnessed yet another helicopter crash in Kedarnath Valley, which claimed seven lives, including a 23-month-old child and the pilot. Rescuers were able to recover only two bodies, while the remaining five bodies were charred beyond recognition. A helicopter belonging to Aryan Aviation Company, carrying six devotees and a pilot, from Kedarnath to Guptkashi, crashed at the Gaurikund area early Sunday morning, killing all seven people on board. Among the killed devotees was also a 23-month-old baby girl and her parents from Maharashtra. The deceased have been identified as captain Rajbir Singh Chauhan Pilot from Jaipur; Vikram Rawat a local member of Badr-Kedar Temple Committee and resident of Ukhimath; 66-year old Vinod Devi from Uttar Pradesh; Trishti Singh,19, from Uttar Pradesh; Rajkumar Jaiswal, 41; Shraddha Rajkumar Jaiswal and their 23-month-old daughter from Maharashtra. Smoke billows at the site of a chopper crash in the Gaurikund area of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, India, June 15, 2025. - Photo: State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Uttarakhand/Handout via Reuters Officials of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) informed that the bodies of the child and four other deceased were recovered, while parts of two other bodies were traced till the time of reporting of this news. Rescue teams, including those of SDRF, NDRF, and local police, were still searching for remaining body parts under inclement weather conditions on the hilltop. According to the officials, the crash occurred as heli was caught in bad weather, due to low visibility on the hills. The pilot tried his best to land at a safe location, but the heli caught fire and was gutted, turning into ashes. Questions are also being raised as to the timing of helicopter flights being allowed by the administration, as early as around 5.30 am. The crashed helicopter took off at around 5.21 am and crashed at around 5.30 am. The flying machine was last seen at around 5.24 am in the valley. Members of rescue teams work at the site of a chopper crash in the Gaurikund area of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, India, June 15, 2025. - Photo: State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Uttarakhand/Handout via Reuters The fall of the heli remained unnoticed till a group of local village women, who went there to collect grass, spotted the burning flying machine and alerted other villagers. This is the second Heli crash within 40 days. A Crystal Aviation helicopter crashed on May 5, killing six devotees who were going to visit the Gangotri Shrine. Besides these crashes, around three helicopters, including an ambulance of AIIMS, had to undertake an emergency landing due to technical snags. - The Statesman/ANN
