Private Helicopter Carrying Six People Crashes Near Joshimath in Uttarakhand

What Happened

A helicopter carrying six people crashed into a hillside near Joshimath in Uttarakhand on Friday afternoon, October 30, 2026. The aircraft, operated by Trans Bharat Aviation Private Limited and bearing call sign VT-HCX, was flying from Badrinath to Dehradun when it went down around 2:20 p.m. near Chayee village in Chamoli district. According to officials, the helicopter hit a hillside near the JP Power House in the Marwari area after contact and tracking signals were lost in the valley amid adverse weather conditions.

Rescue Efforts

Teams from the Indian Army, the Chamoli district administration, and the State Disaster Response Force were rushed to the crash site to conduct search and rescue operations. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that he is personally monitoring the situation and has directed authorities to airlift the critically injured to a higher-level medical facility for better treatment. Officials confirmed that the entire fleet of Trans Bharat Aviation has been grounded as a precautionary measure following the accident.

Context

Mountainous regions in Uttarakhand often experience sudden changes in weather that can create severe flying hazards for aircraft navigating narrow valleys. Aviation authorities enforce strict safety protocols and ground aircraft fleets temporarily when accidents occur to review operational safety. Rescue missions in such remote terrains typically require close coordination between local district forces and specialized disaster response teams.