Seven people, including toddler, die in second Uttarakhand helicopter crash in 40 days

This photo shared by Uttarakhand Police on the X platform shows rescuers working at the site of a helicopter crash near Kedarnath, in Uttarakhand, India, Sunday, June 15, 2025. - Photo: Uttarakhand Police on X via AP

NEW DELHI: Uttarakhand on Sunday (June 15) morning witnessed yet another helicopter crash in Kedarnath Valley, which claimed seven lives, including a 23-month-old child and the pilot. Rescuers were able to recover only two bodies, while the remaining five bodies were charred beyond recognition.

A helicopter belonging to Aryan Aviation Company, carrying six devotees and a pilot, from Kedarnath to Guptkashi, crashed at the Gaurikund area early Sunday morning, killing all seven people on board.

Among the killed devotees was also a 23-month-old baby girl and her parents from Maharashtra.

The deceased have been identified as captain Rajbir Singh Chauhan Pilot from Jaipur; Vikram Rawat a local member of Badr-Kedar Temple Committee and resident of Ukhimath; 66-year old Vinod Devi from Uttar Pradesh; Trishti Singh,19, from Uttar Pradesh; Rajkumar Jaiswal, 41; Shraddha Rajkumar Jaiswal and their 23-month-old daughter from Maharashtra.

Smoke billows at the site of a chopper crash in the Gaurikund area of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, India, June 15, 2025. - Photo: State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Uttarakhand/Handout via Reuters

Officials of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) informed that the bodies of the child and four other deceased were recovered, while parts of two other bodies were traced till the time of reporting of this news.

Rescue teams, including those of SDRF, NDRF, and local police, were still searching for remaining body parts under inclement weather conditions on the hilltop.

According to the officials, the crash occurred as heli was caught in bad weather, due to low visibility on the hills. The pilot tried his best to land at a safe location, but the heli caught fire and was gutted, turning into ashes.

Questions are also being raised as to the timing of helicopter flights being allowed by the administration, as early as around 5.30 am.

The crashed helicopter took off at around 5.21 am and crashed at around 5.30 am. The flying machine was last seen at around 5.24 am in the valley.

Members of rescue teams work at the site of a chopper crash in the Gaurikund area of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, India, June 15, 2025. - Photo: State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Uttarakhand/Handout via Reuters

The fall of the heli remained unnoticed till a group of local village women, who went there to collect grass, spotted the burning flying machine and alerted other villagers.

This is the second Heli crash within 40 days. A Crystal Aviation helicopter crashed on May 5, killing six devotees who were going to visit the Gangotri Shrine.

Besides these crashes, around three helicopters, including an ambulance of AIIMS, had to undertake an emergency landing due to technical snags. - The Statesman/ANN