A helicopter carrying pilgrims towards Kedarnath crashes, 6 Including 2 Pilots Dead

helicopter carrying pilgrims to Kedarnath crashes, 6 dead

On Tuesday (October 18, 2022), a helicopter carrying Kedarnath pilgrims from Phata crashed. "Six individuals were killed in a helicopter crash in Phata, Uttarakhand," stated Abhinav Kumar, the Chief Minister's Special Principal Secretary.

The chopper crashed and caught fire near Garud Chatti, around 2 kilometres from the Kedarnath Dham temple. The administrative team moved for relief and rescue efforts soon after the awful tragedy. A crew has been sent to the accident site to conduct relief activities.

According to a senior civil aviation ministry official, Aryan Aviation operated the helicopter involved in the tragedy. "A Bell 407 helicopter VT-RPN crashed on the way from Kedarnath to Guptkashi, likely due to adverse weather," a senior official with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation stated.

Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia tweeted that the ministry is in contact with the state administration and is keeping a close eye on the issue. "The helicopter crash in Kedarnath is terribly regrettable; we are in contact with the state authorities to determine the extent of the loss and are continually monitoring the situation," Scindia tweeted.

Kedarnath Dham is part of the Char Dham yatra, which devotees in the state of Uttarakhand undertake. The circuit also includes Yamunotri, Gangotri, and Badrinath.