In a tragic incident early Sunday morning, a helicopter belonging to Aryan Aviation crashed in the dense forests of Gaurikund while en route from Guptkashi to the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand. The chopper, which took off at 5:17 AM, was carrying seven individuals, including the pilot, when it reportedly went off course due to severe weather conditions prevailing in the Kedarnath valley.
Initial reports suggest that the helicopter encountered intense cloud cover and poor visibility shortly after take-off, which may have led to the accident. Eyewitnesses and local sources indicated that they heard a loud crash sound from the jungle area, after which authorities were alerted.
The passengers on board have been identified as pilot Rajveer and passengers Vikram Rawat, Vinod, Trishti Singh, Rajkuma, Shraddha, and Rashi, a 10-year-old girl. While reports of casualties are emerging, officials have yet to confirm the exact toll.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep sorrow over the incident. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he said, “Extremely sad news has been received about the helicopter crash in Rudraprayag district. SDRF, local administration, and other rescue teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations.”
Rescue operations were immediately launched, with teams from the SDRF, police, and local administration rushing to the crash site, despite the challenging terrain and adverse weather. “Rescue efforts are underway and further details will be shared soon,” said Dr. V Murugeshan, Additional Director General (Law and Order), Uttarakhand.
Authorities have appealed to the public and media to refrain from speculation until official confirmation is provided. As of now, search and rescue teams are on-site, and updates are expected as the situation develops.
