In brief
A helicopter ran out of control near Chayee village in Uttarakhand, crashing in snowy conditions and killing all six people on board, officials said. The flight had left Badrinath at 1:14 p.m. and lost contact near the Hathi Parvat area while it was still in flight. An investigation is underway and local leaders have offered condolences.
A helicopter crashed near Chayee village close to Joshimath in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, killing all six people on board, including the pilot, officials said.
The aircraft took off from the Hindu pilgrimage town of Badrinath at 1:14 p.m. on a snowy afternoon. It lost contact with authorities over the Hathi Parvat area and later fell into the mountains near Chayee village, a distance of about 290 kilometres northeast of Dehradun, the state capital.
Prateek Jain, chief executive officer of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority, said a detailed investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the accident. He added that the findings would guide decisions about how shuttle and charter operations would proceed for the remainder of the season.
Uttarakhand's chief minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and ordered officials to conduct a detailed investigation into the cause of the crash.
The accident comes amid a season when many helicopters provide transport for pilgrims and tourists to high‑altitude sites in the Himalayas. Officials and residents of the region want to understand whether the snowy weather or other factors contributed to the tragic event.
Families of the deceased are now awaiting the outcome of the investigation, hoping to learn why the aircraft failed to maintain contact and control. The Uttarakhand government has pledged a thorough inquiry and has offered condolences to the victims’ families.
Until the investigation is complete, helicopter operations in the area remain suspended, and authorities urge caution for all flights venturing into the region’s challenging terrain during winter conditions.
