Uttarakhand Helicopter Crash Kills 7: Safety Review Ordered Amid Rising Accidents

Uttarakhand Helicopter Crash

In a tragic incident early Sunday morning, a helicopter operated by Aryan Aviation crashed in the Gaurikund forest area of Uttarakhand, resulting in the deaths of all seven people on board, including the pilot. The chopper was en route from Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi when it met with the accident.

The helicopter took off at 5:17 am and soon went off course, reportedly due to poor weather conditions in the valley. Officials confirmed that dense fog and low visibility were major contributing factors. This is the fifth helicopter crash in Uttarakhand in the last six weeks, raising serious concerns about aviation safety in the region.

Following the crash, a large-scale search and rescue operation was launched. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), led by Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi, along with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local police, reached the crash site in the densely forested and remote Kedar Valley area.

The passengers who lost their lives have been identified as pilot Rajveer, Vikram Rawat, Vinod, Trishti Singh, Rajkuma, Shraddha, and a 10-year-old child named Rashi.

In response to the tragedy, helicopter services across the Char Dham route have been suspended for two days. The temporary suspension aims to ensure a safety review and prevent further mishaps.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and held an emergency meeting in Dehradun to assess the situation. The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretary, officials from the Tourism and Civil Aviation departments, disaster management authorities, and representatives from the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the Directorate of Information. Field officers participated through video conferencing.

The Chief Minister ordered the formation of a technical committee to review current safety and operational procedures for helicopter services in the state. The committee is expected to draft a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to ensure flights are conducted safely, with proper regulation and transparency.

He also stressed that pilots flying in the high-altitude Himalayan region must have prior experience navigating challenging weather and terrain. Aviation companies have been instructed to strictly follow DGCA norms and ensure only qualified pilots operate in such areas.

An existing high-level committee investigating previous helicopter crashes in the state has been directed to include this recent incident in its review. The committee will examine possible lapses and recommend necessary actions, including penalties for those responsible.

Chief Minister Dhami underlined the critical role helicopter services play in Uttarakhand—not just for pilgrims visiting sacred sites but also in disaster response and medical emergencies. He stated that ensuring passenger safety in aerial operations would now be a top priority for the state government.

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