Uttarakhand, India helicopter crash: Aircraft carrying Hindu pilgrims from Kedarnath to Guptkashi crashes in the Himalayas; 7 dead
Share this @internewscast.com

LUCKNOW, India — A helicopter carrying Hindu pilgrims crashed on Sunday in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, killing seven people on board, officials said.

The helicopter was headed to Guptkashi, a prominent Hindu pilgrimage site in the Himalayas, from Kedarnath temple town when it crashed minutes after taking off, officials said, on what should have been a 10-minute flight.

Nandan Singh Rajwar, a local disaster management official, said authorities have launched a rescue and search operation following the helicopter crash.

The helicopter, operated by Aryan Aviation, a private helicopter service company, went down in a forested area near the Kedarnath pilgrimage route at around 5:30 a.m. local time. Officials said the crash was believed to have been caused by poor weather conditions.

Officials said the dead included the pilot and pilgrims from the neighboring state of Uttar Pradesh and western states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The bodies were badly burned in a fire that followed the crash, they said.

India’s Civil Aviation Ministry suspended the operations of Aryan Aviation and directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to oversee all helicopter activity in the region, according to Press Trust of India.

The ministry also ordered an investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, the news agency said.

The crash comes three days after an Air India passenger plane crashed with the loss of at least 270 people in Gujarat state. The London-bound Boeing 787 struck a medical college hostel in a residential area of the northwestern city of Ahmedabad minutes after takeoff Thursday, killing 241 people on board and at least 29 on the ground. One passenger survived.

Kedarnath is home to one of the four most sacred Hindu temple shrines and receives tens of thousands of pilgrims each year during the summer season, many of whom use helicopter services due to the difficult mountainous terrain.

Helicopter mishaps are not uncommon in the treacherous Kedarnath region, where sudden weather changes and high-altitude flying conditions can pose risks. According to Press Trust, Sunday’s was the fifth helicopter accident since the pilgrimage began in the region on April 30.

On June 7, a helicopter operating in the Kedarnath Valley made an emergency landing on a highway due to technical fault shortly after taking off. The pilot was injured but all five passengers on board were unharmed.

On May 8, a helicopter crashed in Uttarkashi district, killing six people, including the pilot. One person survived.

Copyright © 2025 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Luigi Mangione’s lawyers slam ‘vague’ allegations, demand feds show their hand in ‘barebones’ CEO murder case

Lawyers for Luigi Mangione criticize unclear accusations, urge federal authorities to present evidence in ‘weak’ CEO murder case

Attorneys representing Luigi Mangione are alleging that the federal government is presenting…
Ozzy Osbourne revealed one condition for his funeral before death at 76

Ozzy Osbourne Sets a Specific Rule for His Funeral Arrangements Before Passing at 76

Legendary rocker Ozzy Osbourne said he didn’t want his funeral to be…
America's Copper Revolution Happening Now in Arizona

Arizona’s Pioneering Copper Boom is Underway

Copper is an essential resource. It is utilized in various industrial sectors,…
Michigan councilman arrested for alleged domestic violence after Dem law cleared his criminal past

Michigan Councilman Faces Domestic Violence Charges Despite Prior Record Being Cleared

A Michigan councilman, whose past as a drug dealer was erased thanks…
Tropical Storm Keli forms and is second cyclone now in central Pacific Ocean

“Tropical Storm Keli Develops as Second Cyclone in Central Pacific Ocean”

HONOLULU (AP) — Two tropical cyclones were moving across the ocean southeast…
Federal agents 'stormed the cockpit,' removed Delta co-pilot after flight landed at San Francisco International Airport

Federal Agents Enter Cockpit, Remove Delta Co-Pilot Following Flight’s Arrival at San Francisco Airport

SAN FRANCISCO — A routine Delta flight turned anything but ordinary after…
NYC gunman Shane Tamura leaves NFL employee wounded in 345 Park Ave shooting

Gunman Shane Tamura injures NFL staffer in shooting at 345 Park Ave in NYC

An NFL employee is among the wounded in Monday’s deadly shooting inside…
White Pura smart home fragrance diffuser.

Urgent Recall: Hazardous Product Sold at Walmart & Target Poses Severe Risk to Children

A PRODUCT sold at Target and Walmart has been recalled after posing…
Head of Russia's Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov.

Chechen Leader Kadyrov Reportedly ‘Almost Drowns’ at Luxury Hotel in Turkey Following Dispute with Putin and Departure from Russia

ONE of Putin’s top henchmen nearly drowned on Thursday while on holiday…
Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell plays model inmate as she seeks path out of prison

Ghislaine Maxwell Adopts Model Prisoner Behavior in Bid for Early Release

Ghislaine Maxwell, infamous for her association with Jeffrey Epstein, is making moves…
Surveillance footage of a man carrying a gun in a parking lot.

Bangkok Gunman Kills Five Over Car Scratch from 5-6 Years Ago, Reveals Wife as Police Uncover Shocking Motive

A GUNMAN who shot and killed five people was driven by a…
Romeoville teen Langston Britton from Community Christian Church remembered after Silver Birch Ranch drowning in White Lake, WI

Remembering Langston Britton, Romeoville Teen from Community Christian Church, After Tragic Drowning at Silver Birch Ranch in White Lake, WI

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. (WLS) — A planned five-day trip to a church camp…