Helicopter Crash / A helicopter going to Kedarnath crashes near Gaurikund, 7 people including the pilot died

Helicopter Crash: A heart-wrenching accident took place in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand on Saturday morning. A helicopter of Aryan Aviation Company crashed near Gaurikund area, in which all seven people on board died on the spot. The dead include six passengers and a pilot. Bad weather and technical problems are being cited as the reason behind the accident.

The accident happened around 5:30 am

According to the information, the helicopter took off from Kedarnath helipad for Guptkashi at 5:20 am today. A few minutes later, the helicopter suddenly crashed near Gaurikund. According to eyewitnesses, a sudden fire and smoke appeared amidst dark clouds in the sky. Local women who were cutting grass at that time saw the smoke rising and immediately informed the administration.

Debris and relief-rescue work at the spot

After the accident, pieces of helicopter debris were seen scattered at the spot. Smoke continued to rise from the debris, which made it clear that the helicopter also caught fire after the crash. SDRF, NDRF and local administration teams reached the spot and started relief and rescue operations, but due to bad weather they had to face a lot of difficulties.

Identification of the deceased

The people on board the helicopter have been identified as:

Rajveer - Pilot

Vikram Rawat - BKTC employee, resident of Rasi, Ukhimath

Vinod

Trishti Singh

Rajkumar

Shraddha

Rashi - 10-year-old girl

Among these passengers, the passengers are said to be from Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Chief Minister expressed grief

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep condolences on this tragic incident. He wrote on social media, "Very sad news has been received about the 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 passengers."

Accidents have happened before as well

This is not the first incident of helicopter accidents in Kedarnath. Recently on 17 May, an air ambulance also crashed during landing, although all three people on board were safe. Apart from this, this is being said to be the fifth helicopter accident this season, which raises serious questions on the safety of helicopter services.

Demand for investigation and safety review

After the accident, aviation officials have cited bad weather and technical faults as the main reasons in the preliminary investigation. Experts believe that accurate weather information and technical check of the helicopter should be mandatory before flying in mountainous areas. Once again, there is a demand for a comprehensive review of helicopter operations regarding the safety of passengers.