NEW DELHI: Six Kedarnath-bound pilgrims had a close shave on Saturday (Oct 24) morning when the helicopter they were travelling in had to make an emergency landing due to a sudden technical snag. Those on board included five pilgrims from Mumbai and the helicopter’s pilot.
A helicopter operated by Trans Bharat Heli, a company providing services in Uttarakhand, had to make an emergency landing in Baurari area of Tehri to ensure the safety of the five Mumbai-based Kedarnath pilgrims after the aircraft developed a serious technical snag. The pilgrims were travelling from Dehradun to Kedarnath.
According to officials of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), the pilot realised that the helicopter could not complete its sortie to Kedarnath due to a technical problem. This prompted the pilot to land the aircraft at Baurari Stadium in New Tehri early on Saturday morning.
A UCADA official said that six people were on board the helicopter, including the pilot and five devotees from Mumbai.
According to information shared by officials, the helicopter had taken off from Sahastradhara in Dehradun for Kedarnath Dham via Guptkashi.
After landing at Baurari Stadium, the helicopter remained parked there for some time before flying back to Sahastradhara in Dehradun. Officials added that the safety of the pilgrims was the primary concern of the pilot and the UCADA management.
No casualties or damage to the helicopter were reported following the technical snag. However, neither UCADA nor the air service provider issued a statement explaining the exact cause of the malfunction or providing further details about the incident.
Officials maintained that the technical problem was serious enough to prevent the helicopter from continuing its sortie to Kedarnath. - The Statesman/ANN
