Kedarnath Helicopter Crash: Seven onboard killed, rescue ops underway; Uttarakhand CM orders probe

Helicopter Crash in Kedarnath: In an unfortunate incident, seven people died after a helicopter carrying Kedarnath pilgrims crashed upon hitting a hill in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district on Tuesday morning due to low visibility caused by fog, reported The Indian Express.

Minutes after taking off, the chopper crashed near Garud Chatti, according to IE. The helicopter belonged to a Delhi-based private company Aryan Aviation Private Limited. The pilot of the helicopter is also among the deceased. Purva Ramanuj, Kriti, Urvi, Sujata, Prem Kumar, Kala, and pilot Anil Singh are among the ones who have been identified travelling in the chopper, as per IE.

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Stating that the search operations were still underway, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) issued a statement. “The search and rescue operation is going on. The helicopter was from the Aryan Company and seven people were travelling on it. Due to fog, there was less visibility and the helicopter crashed after colliding with a hill,” read the statement, reported IE.

The local police are also assisting the SDRF team in rescue and search operations at the spot. However, the rescue efforts have been hampered due to incessant rainfall, reported IE.

Reacting to the accident, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushar Singh Dhami took to Twitter and wrote, “Got the sad news of the death of some persons in an unfortunate helicopter crash at Garud Chatti near Kedarnath. The SDRF and district administration teams have reached the spot for rescue and relief operations. An order has been issued for the detailed inquiry of the incident.”

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“Anguished by the helicopter crash in Uttarakhand. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families,” PM Narendra Modi said after the incident.

“The helicopter crash in Kedarnath is extremely unfortunate. We are in touch with the state government to ascertain the magnitude of the loss, and are constantly monitoring the situation,” Union Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia tweeted.