State Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his sadness over the incident on X and stated that the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local officials, and rescue teams have commenced relief operations.
The helicopter departed around 5:20 am local time (2350 GMT) and crashed shortly after during its 10-minute journey.
Officials reported that a fire occurred following the crash, severely burning the bodies.
The Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority confirmed that the helicopter was traveling from Shri Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi and that one of the passengers was a 2-year-old girl. They have assigned a team to investigate the cause of the crash.
Locals, who were collecting fodder for their cattle, discovered the wreckage and alerted authorities, as reported by The Week.
District tourism official Rahul Chaubey speculated that bad weather likely contributed to the accident.
The victims were from the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
Helicopter Safety in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand is a prominent tourist destination due to its picturesque mountains and lush greenery, as well as its significance as a pilgrimage site for Hindus, with numerous temples and sacred places.
Kedarnath is among the four most revered Hindu temple shrines and attracts a large number of pilgrims during the summer season.
The demand for helicopter transportation to Himalayan shrines has led to the development of a cottage industry, offering wealthy pilgrims convenience by avoiding strenuous treks. The crashed helicopter belonged to a private company called Aryan Aviation.
While helicopters provide a convenient mode of transportation in challenging terrain, high-altitude flights and unpredictable weather conditions increase the risk of mishaps.
In May, a helicopter crash near Gangotri Dham resulted in six fatalities. Additionally, in June, another helicopter had to make an emergency landing, causing injuries to the pilot.
India has recently experienced the impact of a tragic flight crash in Ahmedabad, resulting in the loss of 270 lives.
Edited by: Zac Crellin
