Six Kedarnath temple pilgrims, pilot feared dead in Uttarakhand helicopter crash

RUDRAPRAYAG, Oct 18:  A helicopter ferrying pilgrims back from the Kedarnath temple crashed on Tuesday amid poor visibility, killing all seven people onboard including the pilot.

The chopper burst into flames close to Garud Chatti and Jungle Chatti, Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed grief over the loss of lives in a helicopter crash in Uttarakhand.

“Anguished by the helicopter crash in Uttarakhand. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a tweet quoting Modi.

Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief ordered a detailed inquiry into the crash.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said his ministry is constantly monitoring the situation.

“The helicopter crash in Kedarnath is extremely unfortunate. We are in touch with the state government to ascertain the magnitude of the loss, and are constantly monitoring the situation,” he said in a tweet.

A senior civil aviation ministry official said the helicopter involved in the crash was operated by Aryan Aviation. “According to the preliminary information, a Bell 407 helicopter VT-RPN crashed on the way from Kedarnath to Guptkashi, possibly due to bad weather,” a senior official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said.

-The New Indian Express