A helicopter crash near Joshimath in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on Friday killed six people, including a Delhi-based pilot, a Bengaluru police officer and a lawyer. The aircraft, which was carrying five passengers and the pilot, crashed while flying from Badrinath to Dehradun.
The helicopter, operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, was initially reported missing, triggering a search-and-rescue operation involving the district administration, disaster management teams and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). All six people on board were subsequently confirmed dead.
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Who Were The Six People On Board The Helicopter?
The pilot was identified as 48-year-old Himanshu Sabharwal, a resident of Shalimar Bagh in West Delhi.
The five passengers were identified as Pratap B Ningaraju, 41; Arun Salunke, 44; Sudhir K, 49; HS Nataraj, 51; and Shankar Gowda VB, 39. All five were residents of Bengaluru.
Among the passengers, Arun Salunke was identified as a Bengaluru police officer, while Shankar Gowda was a lawyer. Further details about the other passengers were not immediately available.
Uttarakhand Helicopter Crash: What Happened?
According to initial reports, the helicopter, bearing registration number VT-HCX, took off from Badrinath at 1:14 pm on Friday. Its last reported contact was near an Army post on Hathi Pahad, opposite Joshimath.
The district administration launched a search operation after receiving information that the aircraft had gone missing. Search teams were deployed in the area, while additional helicopters were pressed into service for aerial surveillance.
Chamoli District Disaster Management Officer Nandkishore Joshi said officials received reports of a white object burning in a forested area above the JP Dam. This raised suspicions that the object could be the missing helicopter.
Medical personnel were also dispatched to the location as authorities intensified efforts to trace the aircraft. Deputy Superintendent of Police Madan Singh Bisht said officials were gathering information and verifying details about the incident.
Bad Weather Hampered Search And Rescue Operations
The search operation faced challenges due to adverse weather conditions in the region. Continuous rainfall and low cloud cover affected visibility, making aerial surveillance and rescue efforts difficult.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said a rescue operation had been launched with the involvement of the district administration, the disaster management department and the SDRF.
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Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar also said the administration had initiated rescue efforts immediately after receiving information about the missing helicopter.
The circumstances leading to the crash were not immediately known. Authorities are expected to assess the crash site and examine the wreckage to establish what caused the accident.
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