After Ahmedabad Air India mishap, 7 dead in helicopter crash in Kedarnath

Seven persons died in a helicopter crash near Kedarnath during the early hours of Sunday. As per reports, including the pilot, there all passengers onboard the chopper died in the crash and rescue efforts are underway.

According to Uttarakhand police, the helicopter was reported missing earlier on Sunday and locals who had gone to collect fodder for their cattle spotted the chopper's debris inside Gaurikund forest and alerted the police. The helicopter, operated by Aryan Aviation, departed from Kedarnath around 5.20am.

In a statement, the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) said, "Today, at around 5.20 am, a helicopter, which was going from Shri Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi, has been reported to have crashed near Gaurikund. There were six passengers, including the pilot - five adults and one child."

 The aviation authority said the passengers hailed from Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat and relief efforts are underway. Uttarakhand ADG (Law and Order), V. Murugeshan, confirmed the crash and said relief measures are underway. Teams from NDRF and SDRF have been deployed for the rescue operation, police said. As per reports, the chopper could have lost its way due to bad weather. 

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami condoled the incident. In a post on X, he said, "Very sad news has been received about a helicopter crash in Rudraprayag district. SDRF, local administration and other rescue teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations. I pray to Baba Kedar for the safety of all the travellers."