All 7 killed in Kedarnath helicopter crash, CM Dhami calls high-level meeting

A helicopter crashed in Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand on Sunday morning (June 15).

The accident took place near Trijuginarayan Narayan in Gaurikund area. The helicopter belonged to Aryan Company and was going from Kedarnath Dham to Phata. All the 7 people on board, have been killed in the accident. The accident reportedly happened due to bad weather.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in a post on X 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."

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand ADG Law and Order, Dr V Murugeshan said, “The helicopter that went missing in Gaurikund has crashed. There were six people on board the crashed helicopter. More details awaited.”

This is the fifth accident since the portals of the Himalayan temple Kedarnath opened on May 2. Earlier, on June 7, a helicopter on its way to Kedarnath was forced to land on a highway in Uttarakhand after developing a technical snag during take-off. It came dangerously close to buildings, and its tail rotor fell on a parked car. The five pilgrims on board came out safely, while the pilot sustained minor injuries.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has called for a high-level meeting. Chief secretary, Tourism and Civil Aviation secretary, disaster secretary, UCADA officials, DGCA officials, DG information are all part of the meeting and are connected through video conferencing.

Rescue teams were immediately dispatched under the direction of SDRF Commander Arpan Yadav. The incident spot was located in a very inaccessible and dense forest area, where a fast-paced and coordinated rescue operation was carried out by the joint teams of SDRF, NDRF, and local police.