By OUR STAFF REPORTER
KEDARNATH (RUDRAPRAYAG), 17 May: Helicopter accidents continue to occur in Uttarakhand. The latest incident took place in Kedarnath Dham, where an AIIMS Rishikesh heli–ambulance had a crash landing. Fortunately, all passengers on board are safe though the chopper has been damaged.
As per the information made available, the helicopter had travelled to Kedarnath to evacuate a patient. Two doctors were present in the heli–ambulance at the time of the accident, which occurred while landing at the Kedarnath helipad. The helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing, but thanks to the presence of mind of the pilot, all three passengers escaped unhurt. Officials have confirmed that all chopper services in Kedarnath are operating smoothly.
Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey stated that the incident occurred at around 11:30 am. The helicopter belonged to Pinnacle Air Pvt Ltd., and had taken off from AIIMS Rishikesh for a medical evacuation. The aircraft touched the ground before landing, causing an emergency landing situation. Rudraprayag District Tourism Officer Rahul Chaubey said that a major accident was averted due to the pilot’s quick decision-making. However, the rear part of the Sanjeevani heli ambulance sustained major damage during the landing.
According to AIIMS Rishikesh Public Relations Officer Sandeep Kumar, the helicopter was en route to Kedarnath to airlift a patient named Sridevi. The plan was to transport her to AIIMS Rishikesh for medical treatment. At the time of the accident, the helicopter had three occupants: the pilot, a doctor, and a nursing staff member. Due to technical issues, the aircraft had to make an emergency landing a short distance away from the helipad.
This incident comes just days after another tragic chopper crash on May 8 near Gangani in Uttarkashi. Seven people, including the pilot, were aboard that helicopter. Unfortunately, six people, including five passengers and the pilot, had lost their lives. The deceased passengers hailed from Mumbai, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, while the pilot was a resident of Gujarat. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had ordered a high-level investigation into the crash, stressing that the probe must be transparent. He also emphasised the need for strong technical measures to prevent such accidents in the future.
