In brief
A helicopter that departed Badrinath in Uttarakhand on a snowy afternoon lost contact near the Hathi Parvat area and crashed near Chayee village, killing all six aboard. Chief Executive Officer Prateek Jain announced a detailed investigation and is assessing future travel operations. Devotee and officials mourn the loss, with the state’s chief minister issuing a public apology and calling for accountability.
A helicopter crashed near Chayee village in Uttarakhand on Friday, killing all six people aboard, including the pilot, officials said.
The aircraft departed Badrinath, a Hindu pilgrimage town, at about 1:14 p.m. local time amid snowfall and lost contact over the Hathi Parvat area before striking the terrain near Chayee, close to Joshimath in Chamoli district, roughly 290 km northeast of Dehradun.
All six individuals on board— the pilot and five passengers— died in the accident, Chief Executive Officer of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority, Prateek Jain, confirmed Friday.
According to Jain, "A detailed investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the accident, and based on those findings, a decision will be made regarding how shuttle and charter operations will proceed for the remainder of the season."
"A detailed investigation will be conducted to determine the cause of the accident, and based on those findings, a decision will be made regarding how shuttle and charter operations will proceed for the remainder of the season," said Jain.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and directed officials to conduct a thorough investigation into the accident.
The crash has prompted a swift response from local authorities, who are coordinating rescue and forensic efforts while also reviewing safety protocols for helicopter operations during the remainder of the peak season.
