Helicopter Crashes in Uttarakhand, India — 6 Killed

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International Desk: A helicopter crashed in the Gangnani area of Uttarkashi district in Uttarakhand, India, killing 6 passengers. The pilot was seriously injured in the incident. District Disaster Management Officer Sharadul Singh confirmed that the pilot has been rescued alive.

According to the Disaster Management Agency SDRF, on Thursday (May 8) at 8:50 AM, a helicopter operated by Aerotrans Services Pvt. Ltd. (VT-OXFF) took off from Sahastradhara Helipad in Dehradun with six passengers. The helicopter was piloted by Captain Robin Singh, as reported by The New Indian Express. The helicopter was supposed to land at Kharshali Helipad, which is located about six kilometers from Gangotri Dham. However, the accident occurred suddenly near the area close to the Rishikesh-Gangotri National Highway.

The identities of the deceased have been confirmed—Kala Soni (61), Jaya Reddy (57), and Ruchi Agarwal (56)—all three were residents of Mumbai. Radha Agarwal (79) was from Uttar Pradesh, and Bedavati Kumari (48) was from Andhra Pradesh. The pilot, Robin Singh, is also reported to be a resident of Andhra Pradesh.

They were on their way to a pilgrimage site. SDRF Commandant Arpan Yadubanshi stated, “The Uttarkashi police and SDRF teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations at the site. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident.”

Members of the SDRF team sent from Bhatwari reported that the helicopter fell into a deep gorge, approximately 200 to 250 meters deep. A base camp has been set up at the site, and the rescue operation has begun to descend into the gorge.

Garhwal Division Commissioner Binoy Shankar Pandey has confirmed that the administration and rescue teams are present at the site and are continuing the rescue operations.

The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami, has expressed his condolences over the helicopter crash. He has ordered an investigation into the incident. SDRF and district administration teams have been promptly sent to the scene.

Notably, before this crash, on May 5, a helicopter coming from Badrinath to Dehradun had to make an emergency landing at Gopeshwar Sports Ground due to bad weather.

The Thursday accident occurred on a day when the Meteorological Department had issued a weather warning for Uttarakhand. According to the forecast, light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, and gusty winds were expected in several districts. including Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, and Champawat.