Pilot, 6 Kedarnath Pilgrims Killed As Chopper Crashes Just After Take Off

All seven people, including a pilot, onboard a helicopter were killed after it crashed near Kedarnath in Uttarakhand today.

The helicopter, carrying pilgrims, crashed right after the takeoff from the Kedarnath shrine near Garud Chatti in Rudraprayag at around 11.40 am, officials said.

"Bodies of six pilgrims and a pilot have been recovered from the site," they said. 

Initial investigation suggests bad weather and poor visibility caused the crash. "The exact cause of the accident will be known after a proper investigation," said C Ravi Shankar, CEO, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority.

Aviation regulator sources said a loud noise was heard before the helicopter caught fire. "A Bell 407 helicopter VT-RPN belonging to a Delhi-based Aryan Aviation has crashed on the way from Kedarnath to Guptkashi, possibly due to cloudy weather," sources told NDTV. 

Visuals from the spot showed a massive plume of smoke. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the district police are carrying out a joint search and rescue operation at the accident site. 

Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered a detailed inquiry into the crash.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia expressed his anguish over the incident and said they are in constant touch with the state government. 

The helicopter crash in Kedarnath is extremely unfortunate. We are in touch with the State government to ascertain the magnitude of the loss, and are constantly monitoring the situation.

— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) October 18, 2022

President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have condoled the death of pilgrims and the pilot in the chopper crash. 

केदारनाथ धाम के पास हुए हेलीकॉप्टर दुर्घटना में पायलट सहित कई तीर्थयात्रियों के निधन का समाचार बहुत दुखद है। अपने प्रियजनों को खोने वाले परिवारों के प्रति मैं गहन शोक-संवेदनाएं व्यक्त करती हूं।

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) October 18, 2022

Anguished by the helicopter crash in Uttarakhand. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families: PM @narendramodi

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) October 18, 2022