Today morning at around 5:17 am, Aryan Company’s helicopter took off from Kedarnath helipad for Guptkashi carrying six pilgrims and a pilot. The journey started normally, but as soon as the helicopter took off, the weather suddenly changed – which is common in hilly areas, but it also increases the risk.
Due to this uncertainty of weather, the pilot had to make an emergency landing at an alternate location, due to which the helicopter crashed.no one survived the accident
No one survived the accident
A very sad and worrying incident took place in Uttarakhand today. An Aryan Aviation helicopter flying from Kedarnath to Guptkashi crashed in the dense forests of Gaurikund. There were 7 people on board including the pilot, which unfortunately included a girl child. According to initial reports, no one survived the accident – all died.
This accident is not limited to just one family or a few people; it has sent waves of concern across the tourism and aviation sector. The demand for helicopter services at religious and tourist places like Kedarnath is very high, and passenger safety should always be the top priority. Such incidents not only erode passenger confidence, but also deal a major blow to the reputation and business of the industry.
Rudraprayag Tourism Officer Rahul Chaubey
Rudraprayag Tourism Officer Rahul Chaubey, who is also the nodal officer for the helicopter service here, shared, “This morning we received information that a helicopter has gone missing. As soon as we got the news, we immediately launched a search operation. It was an Aryan Aviation helicopter that was returning from Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi base. Meanwhile, the weather over the valley suddenly deteriorated, which made the situation more challenging. The pilot tried his best to take the helicopter out of the valley safely, but unfortunately the plane crashed due to bad weather.”
He further clarified, “Apart from the pilot, there were five passengers and an infant in that helicopter, meaning a total of seven people were involved in this accident.”
Highlights(must read this)
- The number of helicopter accidents on the Chardham Yatra route has reached an alarming five in the last 40 days, which not only raises questions on the safety of passengers but also raises serious concerns over the operating procedures of aviation service providers.
- Recently, on June 7, a helicopter carrying five pilgrims crashed on the Guptkashi-Gaurikund route near Barsu in Rudraprayag. The accident occurred around 1 pm. It is a matter of relief that no passenger was seriously injured in this incident; only the pilot suffered minor injuries.
- These frequent incidents show that there is a need to review and strictly monitor the existing aviation safety protocols. Ensuring the safety of passengers should be the top priority of both companies and the administration, especially in high traffic seasons like religious pilgrimage.
- Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has expressed deep concern over this accident. He informed that SDRF, local administration and other rescue teams immediately reached the spot and started relief and rescue operations.
- The Chief Minister also prayed for the safety of the passengers, but at the same time it is clear that the government needs to pay more attention to strict compliance and monitoring of aviation rules.
- Recent incidents also indicate that aviation companies will have to exercise extra caution in matters of training their pilots, maintenance of helicopters and weather warnings.
- In large religious events like Chardham Yatra, where both heavy crowds and difficult weather increase the risk, proactive risk management and emergency response planning become imperative.
- Overall, these incidents are like an alarm for all responsible parties to take immediate strong steps at the technical, administrative and operational levels for the safety of the passengers.
