Rescue teams are searching for six people after a helicopter carrying five pilgrims and a pilot crashed in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand.
The state’s Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, said the helicopter crashed near a village close to Joshimath in Chamoli district on Friday.
The aircraft reportedly took off from the Hindu pilgrimage site of Badrinath before losing contact. The condition of those on board remains unclear, while the cause of the crash has not been established.
Dhami said a joint rescue operation involving the district administration, disaster management department and State Disaster Response Force had been launched.
He added that he was monitoring the operation and had directed that anyone seriously injured be airlifted for medical treatment.
The crash occurred amid reports of heavy rain and poor visibility in the mountainous region. India’s weather department had issued an orange alert, warning of thunderstorms, hail and strong winds.
Uttarakhand, which borders China and Nepal, attracts millions of Hindu pilgrims annually because of its sacred shrines, including Badrinath, one of four major destinations on the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit.
The safety of helicopter services in the region has come under scrutiny following several accidents involving pilgrims.
In June 2025, seven people were killed when a helicopter crashed near Kedarnath, while another seven died in a similar accident along the pilgrimage route in October 2022.
Several other helicopter accidents were also reported during the 2025 pilgrimage season, prompting aviation authorities to tighten safety checks and restrict some operations.
Comments
Add a comment