Seven people, including the pilot, Retired Lt Col Rajveer Singh Chauhan and a two-year-old child, lost their lives early Sunday morning when a helicopter ferrying Char Dham pilgrims from Kedarnath crashed near Gaurikund in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. The tragic incident took place at around 5:20 am when the Aryan Aviation Bell 407 chopper went missing shortly after taking off en route to Guptkashi.
According to Nilesh Bharne, IG Law and Order, the crash occurred at Gauri Mai Khark, located approximately 5 km uphill from Gaurikund. Rescue and relief personnel were immediately dispatched, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) reaching the site to assist with recovery efforts.
The deceased have been identified as Vikram Rawat from Ukhimath in Uttarakhand, Vinod Devi and Trishti Singh from Uttar Pradesh, Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal, Shraddha Rajkumar Jaiswal, and their two-year-old child Kashi, all from Maharashtra.
The Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) confirmed that the crash was caused by unknown reasons, though initial reports suggest bad weather may have played a role. UCADA CEO Sonika stated that an investigation team has been sent to the location to determine the cause of the incident.
District tourism development officer Rahul Choubey added that poor weather conditions may have forced the pilot to alter the flight path, leading to the fatal crash.
Reacting to the incident, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said all available resources, including the SDRF and local administration, have been mobilized for rescue operations. He extended prayers for the victims and emphasized the need for stricter flight safety measures. In response to this and previous chopper accidents, the Chief Minister has ordered the formulation of a strict Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for heli-services in the state.
A high-level technical committee has been directed to review all helicopter operations and investigate the causes of recent crashes, including Sunday’s tragedy. The committee will be tasked with identifying technical lapses or negligence and recommending appropriate punitive measures.
This is the third helicopter-related incident in Uttarakhand within weeks. On May 8, six people died in a crash near Gangnani while en route to Gangotri, and on June 7, another helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing due to technical failure.
