A tragic helicopter crash near the revered Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand claimed the lives of all seven individuals on board early Sunday morning. The helicopter, operated by Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd, was en route from Kedarnath to Guptkashi when it went down around 5:30 AM due to poor visibility caused by adverse weather conditions.
Authorities confirmed that the aircraft crashed above the dense forests near Gauri Mai Khark, approximately 5 km from Gaurikund, a key stop along the Kedarnath pilgrimage route. The impact of the crash was so severe that the helicopter caught fire soon after it hit the ground, leaving no survivors.
The victims included five pilgrims, the pilot, and an employee of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee. The deceased have been identified as Shraddha Rajkumar Jaiswal (35) and a child named Kashi (2) from Maharashtra, Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal (41) from Gujarat, Vikram Singh Rawat from Uttarakhand, Vinood Devi (66) and Tushti Singh (19) from Uttar Pradesh, and the pilot Capt Rajveer Singh Chauhan.
Local officials, including Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar, reported that the crash likely occurred due to zero visibility in the mountainous region, a result of rapidly changing weather conditions. Rahul Chaubey, the District Tourism Development Officer and Heli Service Nodal Officer, confirmed that the helicopter had gone missing early in the day, prompting a swift search operation by State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other emergency teams.
The tragedy has sparked widespread concern regarding the safety protocols in place for heli services in the state, especially considering the region’s dependence on helicopter travel for pilgrimage, tourism, and emergency services. In response, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami issued strict directives aimed at tightening the regulation of helicopter operations in the state.
The Chief Minister emphasized the need for a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for heli services, which would include mandatory checks of weather conditions and technical inspections before every flight. He also instructed the Chief Secretary to form a committee of aviation and safety experts to draft this SOP after a thorough review of all technical and operational aspects.
Furthermore, a high-level committee has been tasked with investigating the latest crash in addition to past helicopter accidents in Uttarakhand. The committee will examine each incident in detail, identify lapses or responsible parties, and recommend strict actions against any negligence.
Sunday’s crash is the latest in a troubling series of heli accidents in the region. On May 8, a helicopter en route to Gangotri Dham crashed in Uttarkashi, killing six people. Just a few days prior to today’s tragedy, on June 7, another Kedarnath-bound helicopter made an emergency landing due to technical failure. Though the pilot was injured, all passengers survived.
The Kedarnath region, known for its challenging terrain and unpredictable weather, sees thousands of pilgrims every year, many of whom rely on helicopter services to complete their journeys. The recent events have highlighted the urgent need for reform and enforcement of strict safety protocols to ensure such tragedies do not repeat.
Chief Minister Dhami reiterated that heli services are crucial for the state not only for religious tourism but also for disaster response and medical emergencies. “We will ensure that safety becomes the foremost priority moving forward,” he stated in an official release.
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