Pilgrim Chopper Crashes Near Joshimath Amid Storms

The Incident

A helicopter carrying six people crashed close to a mountain village in the Chamoli district on Friday while flying from a popular shrine. The aircraft operated by Trans Bharat Aviation had six individuals on board, consisting of five pilgrims and a pilot. According to the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority, the machine took off from Badrinath at roughly 1.12 pm and headed toward Sahastradhara in Dehradun before losing all radio communication over the valley.

Rescue Operations

State officials stated that the tracking system stopped displaying the vehicle's position after it went down near Chayee village close to Joshimath. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami noted that he was keeping a close watch on the situation and directed teams to airlift severely injured victims to higher medical centers for urgent care. The district administration, disaster management wing, and State Disaster Response Force rushed joint teams toward the wreckage site starting at 2.24 pm.

Context

Mountain flying in Himalayan regions often faces sudden weather shifts that create severe hazards for aircraft. Local meteorological authorities had previously warned of thunderstorms and strong winds in the area.