A helicopter to Kedarnath carrying 7 people, including 6 pilgrims and 1 pilot, crashed on Tuesday. The pilgrims were being carried from Guptkashi to Kedarnath. All seven people that were on board were confirmed dead. The helicopter collided with a hill due to low visibility and crashed down. The accident took place in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district.
Kedarnath Helicopter Crashed
The helicopter which is owned by Aryan Aviation Private Limited (Delhi-based) crashed near Garud Chatti as it was travelling back to Kedarnath. The accident took place just a few minutes after the chopper took off. The teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and district police are carrying out a search and rescue operation at the spot. The operations, however, are hampered due to rain in the area. SDRF said that the crash took place between Lincholi and Garud Chatti. They said that due to fog, there was low visibility and hence they collided with the hill. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted about the Kedarnath helicopter incident.
Anguished by the helicopter crash in Uttarakhand. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 18, 2022
Also Read: Planning Kedarnath Darshan? Here Are The Safety Measures To Take
Ministers Called For A Probe
The pilgrims who were travelling in the helicopter were identified as Kala, Sujata, Urvi, Purva Ramanuj and Kriti. Anil Singh was the pilot who also got killed in the crash. Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M Scindia and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also tweeted about the incident. Jyotiraditya called the incident very unfortunate and also assured that they are in touch with the state government of Uttarakhand. He also informed that they are monitoring the situation and also ordered a detailed probe into the Kedarnath helicopter rash.
Also Read: DGCA Imposes ₹25 Lakh Fine On Tourist Helicopters In Kedarnath After Violation Of Safety Norms
Our prayers are with the families of the deceased.
Cover Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons