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Thursday, August 7, 2025
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Helicopter Crash Near Kedarnath Leaves 7 Dead Amid Challenging Terrain

In a tragic incident early Sunday morning, a helicopter operated by Aryan Aviation crashed near the forests of Gaurikund while flying from Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi. All seven people on board, including the pilot, lost their lives. Among the passengers was a 10-year-old girl.

This marks the fifth helicopter crash in Uttarakhand in just six weeks, raising serious concerns about air safety in the region.

Following the accident, helicopter services across the Char Dham circuit have been suspended indefinitely. The move comes after a joint decision by the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The helicopter took off from Kedarnath at 5:17 a.m. and was on its way to Guptkashi when it reportedly lost its route due to poor weather conditions. Officials confirmed that heavy fog and bad weather in the Kedarnath valley may have caused the crash. Passengers on board the helicopter included: Rajveer – Pilot, Vikram Rawat, Vinod, Trishti Singh, Rajkuma, Shraddha, Rashi – a 10-year-old girl.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his sorrow on social media, calling it “extremely sad news” and confirmed that SDRF teams and local authorities were carrying out rescue operations at the site.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also offered her condolences, describing the incident as another “civil aviation tragedy” and sending prayers for the passengers and crew.

In response to the crash, CM Dhami has directed the Chief Secretary to set up a technical committee to thoroughly review all aspects of helicopter safety in the state. This team will work on drafting a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure that such services operate with maximum safety and full compliance with aviation norms.

He also confirmed that a high-level committee already investigating previous helicopter accidents in Uttarakhand will now look into this crash as well. The goal is to examine each case in detail, identify any negligence, and take strict action if needed.

CM Dhami stressed the crucial role helicopter services play in Uttarakhand — not only for pilgrims visiting sacred sites like Kedarnath but also for disaster response and emergencies. “Safety will be our top priority moving forward,” he said.

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