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.
-
Indian Markets Turning Corner After Two Tough Years, Says Sandeep Tandon -
NDTV Profit Ignite 2026: Experts See Opportunity In Equities, Stay Bullish For Long-Term -
Buy Right, Sit Tight Does Not Work for Individual Stocks, Says Dinshaw Irani -
'Worst Is Behind': Quant MF Sees Market Bottom, Flags 'Extreme Euphoria' In Midcaps -
India's Mutual Fund Industry Could Become A $1 Trillion Opportunity, Say Fund Managers -
'Foreign Investors Are Baraatis': Raamdeo Agrawal's Take On LTCG Tax -
Stay Invested Through Market Cycles: Raamdeo Agrawal at NDTV Profit Ignite -
Ramesh Damani Remains Bullish On India For Next 20-30 Years, Sees Bargains Amid Market Weakness -
CAS Came After A Long Consultation Process: SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey AT NDTV PROFIT IGNITE -
Aim To Cut FPI Onboarding Time From Mth To Five Days: SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey AT NDTV PROFI
ALSO READ | Helicopter With Six Onboard Crashes Close To Joshimath, Confirms Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami
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.
ALSO READ | Mega Defence Boost: Rajnath Singh-Led DAC Clears Rs 2.12-Lakh-Crore Procurement Push For Army
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.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.