Seven Die in Uttarakhand Helicopter Crash During Pilgrimage

LUCKNOW, India — Seven people died on Sunday morning when a helicopter crashed in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand while carrying passengers on a popular Hindu pilgrimage route. The incident occurred shortly after takeoff from Kedarnath, a significant site for Hindu worshippers, when the aircraft was en route to Guptkashi.

The Bell 407 helicopter, operated by Aryan Aviation, departed around 5:19 a.m. local time and lost contact approximately 10 minutes later, eventually crashing near Gaurikund at around 5:30 a.m. Officials confirmed that among those killed were the pilot and a two-year-old child.

Bansidhar Tripathi, the state’s director-general of information, noted that authorities are investigating the crash, which is believed to have been caused by poor weather conditions. Following the incident, local officials launched a rescue operation to retrieve the bodies.

Pushkar Singh Dhami, the chief minister of Uttarakhand, expressed condolences in a social media post and stated that an inquiry into the crash would be conducted to identify any negligence. “The negligence at whatever level has been committed will be identified, and punitive action will be ensured,” Dhami said.

In response to this tragedy, the state government ordered the suspension of helicopter services to the Kedarnath Valley until Monday. A thorough review of safety protocols for helicopter operations in the region will take place before services are resumed.

Over the years, the mountainous terrain of Uttarakhand has seen similar accidents due to sudden weather changes and high-altitude flying conditions. In the past month and a half, there have been three emergency landings and two previous helicopter crashes along the Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage route.

This latest incident adds to the grim record of helicopter mishaps in the area. The helicopter is not only used by local residents but also by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who visit sacred Hindu sites every year.