Badrinath helicopter crash: Six on board, including pilot, remain untraceable; rescue work is underway | Here’s what we know | Today’s news
A helicopter traveling from Badrinath to Dehradun crashed near Joshimath on Friday afternoon, Uttarakhand officials confirmed. The update came after the helicopter disappeared.
The Badrinath helicopter crashed with six people on board
There was one pilot and five passengers on board. The six missing persons on board were Captain Himanshu and Prathapa, Arun, Shankar Gowda, Sudheer K and HS Natraja among the passengers.
Rescue work is currently underway.
According to authorities in Chamoli district, teams have reached the crash site to carry out rescue operations.
It is not yet known if there have been any casualties.
How the chopper disappeared from Badrinath to Dehradun
The helicopter was operated by Trans Bharat Aviation Pvt Ltd. It took off at approximately 1:14 PM and lost contact while flying over the Joshimath Valley.
When it became untraceable, teams from the Indian Army, district administration, Chamoli and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were dispatched to launch search and rescue operations.
Later, smoke was seen rising near Chaien village in Joshimath, ANI reported.
What caused the crash
The accident was probably caused by bad weather and snow. However, no official statement has been issued.
The entire fleet of Trans Bharat Aviation was grounded.
Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) Director General Prateek Jain told ANI, “A helicopter belonging to Trans Bharat Aviation took off from Badrinath to Sahastradhara heliport at 1:14 pm. We were unable to trace the location of the helicopter as it was passing through the U.li valley. We mobilized and received this information from the U.li Joponshimath area. SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) and Army unit to area near the site of the incident to prepare for a proper rescue operation As a precautionary measure, the entire fleet of helicopters belonging to Trans Bharat Aviation has been grounded…According to initial information there were 6 people on board – the pilot plus 5 others once we have confirmation…”
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami reacts
In a post on X, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami wrote, “Reports have been received of an unfortunate helicopter crash near Chai village, near Joshimath. District administration, disaster management department and SDRF are conducting a joint rescue operation.”
“I am personally monitoring the situation closely. I have issued instructions to ensure that those who are seriously injured are immediately airlifted to a higher medical facility for better treatment. I pray to God for the safety of the passengers,” he added.