Six people, including a pilot and five passengers, are feared dead after a helicopter returning from Badrinath Dham crashed in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Friday (October 30). The wreckage of the missing aircraft was spotted near Joshimath after it reportedly lost contact amid adverse weather conditions.
The helicopter was travelling from Badrinath towards Dehradun when the incident occurred. According to preliminary information, the aircraft was operating in the Badrinath-Joshimath sector when communication with it was lost, prompting an immediate search operation by the district administration.
The Chamoli district administration confirmed that six people, comprising five passengers and the pilot, were on board the helicopter.
In an update shared by news agency ANI, the administration said that smoke had been spotted rising near Chai village in Joshimath following the helicopter’s disappearance. Search teams subsequently located the aircraft’s wreckage, raising fears about the fate of everyone on board.
The pilot was identified as Captain Himanshu Sabharwal. The five passengers were identified as Arun Salunke, HS Nagaraja, Prathapa Bachihally Ningarajan, Sudheer K and Shankargowda VB.
According to reports, the helicopter was operated by Trans Bharat Aviation. The aircraft reportedly crashed into a hillside near Chai village at around 2:20 PM.
The district administration, police and disaster management teams were mobilised after the aircraft went missing. Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Uttarakhand Police were also dispatched towards the suspected crash location.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said he was monitoring the situation and that the administration was coordinating the response to the incident.
Further details about the circumstances leading to the crash and the condition of those aboard were awaited.
Adverse weather conditions in Uttarakhand
The helicopter crash comes amid deteriorating weather conditions across Uttarakhand, with rainfall and snowfall reported in several parts of the Himalayan state.
Kedarnath Dham witnessed the season’s first heavy snowfall following continuous snowfall since Thursday (October 29). The surrounding mountain peaks were covered in snow, while temperatures dropped considerably across the region.
The India Meteorological Department had forecast continued rainfall over the next few days, particularly in the state’s hilly districts.
Dr CS Tomar, Director of the Meteorological Centre in Dehradun, said that heavy rainfall had been recorded at eight to nine locations across Uttarakhand on October 29, particularly in Uttarkashi, Tehri and Haridwar districts.
Speaking to ANI, Tomar said similar weather conditions were expected on Friday, with a higher likelihood of rainfall in the Kumaon region.
He added that light to very light rainfall could continue in isolated parts of the hilly districts on October 31, November 1 and 2, particularly in the northern mountainous areas.
In view of the weather forecast, district administrations have been placed on alert and advised to take precautionary measures to protect pilgrims and commuters.
The latest helicopter crash has once again brought attention to the risks associated with aerial operations in the mountainous terrain of Uttarakhand, particularly when weather conditions deteriorate rapidly.
