Uttarakhand makes second pilots mandatory on Char Dham charter flights after crash kills six

Rescuers carry the remains of a mortal as teams are deployed at the site to retrieve the bodies of six people who died in a helicopter crash in Joshimath and an intensive operation is underway to bring them back to the nearest road from a remote mountainous site in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, on Saturday, October 31, 2026. | Photo credit:-

A day after six people, including the pilot, died in a helicopter crash in Joshimath, the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) on Saturday (October 31, 2026) made it mandatory for helicopters operating on pilgrimage routes to carry a co-pilot.

In another decision, UCADA also made it mandatory for all pilots to submit a report detailing weather conditions and other important operational information to the authorities after each flight.

Speaking to the media, Prateek Jain, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UCADA, said that all charter services under the Char Dham yatra will now run with a “two-pilot crew configuration”.

“The two-pilot crew will be mandatory from November 2,” he added.

Additionally, the prior approval of UCADA’s Helicopter Operations Officer (HOO) will now be mandatory for each flight to take off and land.

The decision was taken during a high-level meeting of UCADA with officials of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

According to Mr. Jain, the reporting system is evolving and a standard format for filling in information for pilots is currently being prepared. This information will help pilots scheduled to operate subsequent flights to evaluate conditions and prepare accordingly.

According to sources, the two-pilot crew will not be available for helicopter services at Kedarnath.

Also, a pilot over the age of 60 can serve as co-pilot, provided he is qualified to operate flights in mountainous areas.

Meanwhile, teams from DGCA and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) reached Joshimath on Saturday (October 31, 2026) and interacted with local residents as part of the investigation into Friday’s (October 30, 2026) crash. Teams accompanied by UCADA officials are to visit the accident site and collect further evidence.

Published – 31 Oct 2026 23:00 IST