Five Karnataka Friends Among Six Killed in Uttarakhand Helicopter Crash

Five close friends from Karnataka and their pilot died on Friday when a civil helicopter crashed in the mountainous Hathi Parvat region of Chamoli district in Uttarakhand. The victims included Bengaluru Central Crime Branch police inspector Arun Salunke, Hassan businessman Prathapa Bachihally Ningaraju, Bengaluru advocates Sudheer K and Shankargowda VB, and Tumakuru resident H S Nataraj. The sixth victim was the pilot, Captain Himanshu from Delhi.

The Crash

Operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, the aircraft was flying from Badrinath to Dehradun when it went down at roughly 2 pm in hilly terrain. Local disaster management teams, military personnel, and border police rushed to the site for search and rescue efforts. Authorities recovered all six bodies and moved them to Joshimath for post-mortem exams, while officials collect DNA samples from grieving relatives to confirm identities.

Victims and Background

The group had journeyed north together for the Char Dham pilgrimage and planned to head back home before bad weather disrupted their schedule. Friends shared that the travelers usually posted regular social media updates during their trips but stayed quiet this time. Karnataka government offices are coordinating with Uttarakhand officials to bring the mortal remains back home.

Context

Helicopter travel is common for reaching remote Himalayan shrines like the Char Dham sites quickly, but mountain flying frequently faces risks from sudden weather shifts. State and central disaster groups regularly coordinate emergency responses in these difficult terrains when accidents happen.