A tragic helicopter crash near Kedarnath in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district on Sunday claimed the lives of seven people, including a couple and their two-year-old daughter from Yavatmal, Maharashtra. The family had travelled for the Kedarnath and Chardham Yatra, but their young son survived as he had stayed back with his grandfather.
Family from Yavatmal Loses Three Members
According to former Wani MLA Vishvas Nandekar, the deceased have been identified as Rajkumar Jaiswal, a transport businessman, his wife Shraddha, and their daughter Kashi. The family had embarked on the pilgrimage from Wani in Maharashtra on June 12. Their son, Vivaan, was not on the ill-fated chopper and remained at their home in Pandharkawda with his grandfather.
Other Victims and Circumstances of the Crash
The crash occurred in the dense forests of Gaurikund due to poor visibility amid adverse weather conditions. The helicopter was returning from the Kedarnath shrine when it went down early in the morning. Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar said, “Zero visibility caused by bad weather apparently led to the crash.”
The other victims were pilot Rajveer Singh Chauhan, Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee member Vikram Singh Rawat, and passengers Vinood Devi (66) and Tushti Singh (19) from Uttar Pradesh.
Aviation Ministry to Probe Crash
The Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) would probe the crash. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami suspended helicopter services on the Chardham Yatra route for two days as a precaution.
An official release said, “There were 5 passengers, one infant and one crew member on board. The helicopter took off from Guptkashi at 05:10 Hrs and landed at Shri Kedarnath Ji Helipad at 05:18 hrs. It departed again at 05:19 hrs for Guptkashi and crashed near Gaurikund.”
Recent Helicopter and Aviation Incidents Raise Concerns
This marks the latest in a series of aviation mishaps in the region. On May 8, a helicopter bound for Gangotri Dham crashed in Uttarkashi, killing six. More recently, on June 7, another Kedarnath-bound helicopter made an emergency landing due to a technical fault, injuring the pilot but sparing the passengers.
The incident also comes days after a major aviation tragedy involving Air India Flight AI171, which crashed in Ahmedabad, killing over 270 people, including those on the ground.