Dehradun: A tragic helicopter crash early Sunday morning near Gaurikund in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district claimed the lives of all seven passengers on board, including a 23-month-old child.
The chopper, operated by Aryan Company, was carrying pilgrims from Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi when it went down around 5:30 AM, reportedly due to poor weather.
The wreckage was found in a forested area above Gauri Mai Khark. Local women collecting fodder nearby were the first to report the crash, prompting a swift response from SDRF, police, and other emergency teams. All bodies were recovered from the charred remains.
Those killed have been identified as Rajkumar Jaiswal, Shraddha Jaiswal, their infant daughter Kashi Jaiswal, Tushti Singh, Vinod Negi, temple committee staffer Vikram Singh Rawat, and the pilot, Captain Rajbeer Singh Chauhan — a former Indian Army officer with over 15 years of flying experience.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief on social media, saying, “Received the extremely tragic news of a helicopter crashing in Rudraprayag district. SDRF, local administration, and rescue teams are engaged in operations. Prayers to Baba Kedar for everyone’s safety.”
The tragedy comes just days after an Air India crash in Ahmedabad claimed 241 lives. In the wake of this latest mishap, all helicopter services on the Kedarnath route have been suspended until further notice.
Helicopter accidents have plagued Uttarakhand’s pilgrimage routes for years. This is the second such incident in recent weeks.
On June 7, a Kestrel Aviation helicopter developed a technical fault during takeoff from the Badasu helipad and made an emergency landing on the Rudraprayag-Gaurikund highway. While passengers were unharmed, the pilot suffered back injuries.
