Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 15 Jun: In a heartbreaking incident on Sunday morning, seven people, including the pilot, lost their lives when a helicopter carrying pilgrims from Kedarnath crashed near Garud Chatti. The chopper was on its return journey to Guptkashi after dropping pilgrims at the Kedarnath helipad.
The helicopter, operated by Aryan Aviation, had five passengers, one infant, and the pilot onboard. It took off from Guptkashi early in the morning and landed safely at Kedarnath. It departed again at 5:19 a.m. but is believed to have crashed between 5:30 and 5:45 a.m. in a densely forested area near Gaurikund.
According to initial reports, poor visibility and dense cloud cover in the valley are suspected to be the primary causes of the crash. A thorough investigation has been initiated, and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will examine the exact factors that led to the accident.
The pilot of the ill-fated helicopter has been identified as Rajveer Singh Chauhan. He had served in the Indian Army for over 15 years and retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. A highly experienced aviator, Chauhan had recently embraced fatherhood with the birth of his twin children.
The other victims of the crash included Shraddha Rajkumar Jaiswal (35) and her two-year-old daughter Kashi from Maharashtra; Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal (41) from Gujarat; Vikram Singh Rawat from Uttarakhand; and Vinod Devi (66) and Tushti Singh (19) from Uttar Pradesh.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami convened an emergency meeting with senior officials from the Uttarakhand Government, DGCA, Civil Aviation Ministry, and disaster management authorities. He said that “The Aryan Aviation services will remain closed until the safety of the passengers is ensured. Life of every passenger is of utmost importance to us,” he said.
District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar stated that the crash occurred in a remote and heavily forested area. This incident marks the third helicopter-related mishap in the Char Dham region this season.
Authorities have urged pilgrims to remain cautious amid ongoing weather disturbances and assured that all safety protocols will be reviewed to prevent further tragedies.
IANS reports that a team from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) reached the helicopter crash site in Rudraprayag’s Gaurikund area in Uttarakhand and recovered all seven charred bodies.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local police were also involved in the rescue operations.
According to rescue officials, the helicopter was completely destroyed by fire on impact.
All seven people on board a helicopter en route from Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi were killed when the chopper crashed and went up in flames in a forested area near Gaurikund early Sunday morning.
Among the deceased was a 23-month-old child.
The ill-fated aircraft, a Bell 407 with registration VT-BKA, operated by Aryan Aviation, was flying on the sector ‘Shri Kedarnath ji – Aryan Helipad, Guptkashi’ when it crashed during its brief 10-minute flight.
As soon as the incident was reported, rescue teams were immediately dispatched under the direction of SDRF commander Arpan Yaduvanshi.
“The SDRF team reached the site of incident Jorsi (above Gaurikund) — Crashed helicopter completely burnt, all 7 bodies recovered by rescue team. SDRF, NDRF and District Police engaged in rescue work,” read a post from the SDRF on X.
A statement from the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) confirmed that the victims included six pilgrims — five adults and an infant — belonging to different states such as Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.
Those who lost their lives in the crash have been identified as Captain Rajbir Singh Chauhan, a pilot from Jaipur; Vikram Rawat, an employee of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC); Vinod Devi and her granddaughter Trushti Singh, pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh; and a family of three from Maharashtra — Rajkumar Jaiswal, his wife Shradha Jaiswal, and their daughter Kashi Jaiswal.
In response to the incident, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken precautionary steps by reducing the frequency of helicopter services to Char Dham.
The agency is also conducting enhanced surveillance of helicopter operations in the region and is reviewing all procedures for potential safety upgrades.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has been tasked with investigating the cause of the crash.
Teams from the NDRF and SDRF are continuing efforts in the challenging conditions to ensure the complete recovery of mortal remains and evidence.
The tragic crash has once again raised concerns about the safety of helicopter operations in Uttarakhand’s treacherous high-altitude zones, particularly during the ongoing Char Dham Yatra.
This marks the fifth aviation-related incident since the portals of the Kedarnath temple were opened on May 2.
