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In a devastating early morning tragedy, a helicopter carrying Hindu pilgrims crashed on Sunday in the mountainous state of Uttarakhand, India, killing all seven people onboard, including the pilot.
The aircraft, operated by Aryan Aviation, was on a short 10-minute flight from the sacred Kedarnath temple town to Guptkashi, a major Hindu pilgrimage hub nestled in the Himalayas. But just minutes after takeoff around 5:30 a.m. local time, the chopper plunged into a forested area a few kilometers off the pilgrimage route.
Local disaster management official Nandan Singh Rajwar confirmed that all seven occupants perished in the crash. The victims include pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, as well as the pilot. Authorities said the bodies were severely burned due to a post-crash fire.
Officials suspect poor weather conditions caused the aircraft to lose control an increasingly common concern for flights operating in the high-altitude, unpredictable terrain of the Kedarnath Valley.
The region is known for its religious significance, drawing tens of thousands of devotees each year to one of Hinduism’s most sacred shrines. Due to the treacherous mountain routes, many pilgrims opt for helicopter transport. However, the risks of flying in such a harsh environment have become alarmingly frequent.
Just last month, a helicopter carrying five passengers was forced to make an emergency landing on a highway after experiencing a technical fault. The pilot sustained injuries but the passengers escaped harm. And earlier on May 8, a chopper crash in Uttarkashi district claimed six lives.
As rescue teams comb through the wreckage and investigations begin, officials are calling for a comprehensive review of aviation safety protocols in Uttarakhand’s pilgrimage corridors.
