Chopper Carrying Kedarnath Pilgrims Crashes Near Gaurikund; Casualties Feared

A helicopter carrying six pilgrims from Kedarnath crashed near Gaurikund in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district early Sunday morning, officials said. Rescue operations are currently underway.

Sources indicated that at least five people may have died in the crash, though authorities have yet to confirm the toll.

The Aryan Aviation chopper took off from the Kedarnath helipad around 5 a.m. and lost contact shortly after, prompting an immediate search operation.

“There were seven people on board, including the pilot, five adult passengers, and an infant,” said Rahul Chaubey, district tourism officer and nodal officer for helicopter services in Rudraprayag. He declined to comment on the number of casualties.

Chaubey added that the helicopter was en route from Kedarnath Dham to its base in Guptkashi when it encountered sudden adverse weather. “The pilot attempted to maneuver the chopper out of the valley, but the aircraft crashed during the effort,” he said.

Search and rescue teams, including the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local authorities, and volunteers from nearby villages, were quickly mobilized and are actively engaged in rescue operations.

Fifth Chopper Incident in Under 40 Days

This is the fifth helicopter-related mishap on the Char Dham pilgrimage route in less than 40 days.

On June 7, another chopper carrying five pilgrims made a crash landing on the Guptkashi–Gaurikund highway near Barasu in Rudraprayag. Though the incident occurred around 1 p.m., there were no fatalities. Only the pilot sustained minor injuries.

Chief Minister Responds

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed the incident and said, “Very sad news has been received about a helicopter crash in Rudraprayag district. SDRF, local administration, and other rescue teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations. I pray to Baba Kedar for the safety of all the travellers.”

Tragedy Follows Deadly Plane Crash in Gujarat

This incident comes just days after a devastating Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad claimed the lives of 270 people, including passengers and those on the ground.

The London-bound AI-171 flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed into a residential building near the BJ Medical College shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday. The crash claimed the lives of 241 passengers and crew, and an additional 29 people, including five medical students, on the ground.