Uttarakhand helicopter crashes: 21 dead across Char Dham in 9 years
There have been at least five major helicopter accidents across the Char Dham circuit in Uttarakhand since 2017.
A helicopter with six people on board crashed into a hillside in Joshimath on Friday afternoon (October 30) about an hour after it took off from Badrinath on its way to Dehradun.
The six people on board the Trans Bharat Aviation Pvt. Ltd.’s helicopter were identified as Capt. Himanshu and five male passengers – Prathapa, Arun, Shankar Gowda, Sudheer K, and HS Natraja. There is no immediate confirmation of casualties.
The chopper crashed into a hillside near the JP Power House near Marwari Bridge around 2.20 pm, officials said. It is not confirmed yet whether it was returning from the Badrinath shrine.
Also read: Uttarakhand: 6 killed after chopper with 7 on board crashes in Uttarkashi
Teams of the Chamoli administration, police, SDRF, Army and ITBP have been dispatched to the site for relief and rescue operations, they said.
There have been at least five major helicopter accidents across the Char Dham circuit in Uttarakhand since 2017. In these five crashes, 21 people have died.
MoS, Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol had informed the Rajya Sabha last year that Uttarakhand had accounted for seven of the 12 major chopper crashes reported across India between 2020 and 2025.
The following are other major accidents involving tourists along Char Dham routes:
June 10, 2017: An Agusta AW119 MK II, VT-NRK helicopter operated by Kestrel Aviation Pvt Ltd crashed onto sloping terrain near Badrinath helipad shortly after take-off while operating on the Badrinath-Haridwar sector of the Char Dham circuit. One aircraft maintenance engineer died; two pilots sustained minor injuries. Five pilgrims onboard escaped without injury.
October 18, 2022: Aircraft: Bell 407, VT-RPN helicopter operated by Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd crashed into a mountain ridge at Garud Chatti shortly after taking off from Kedarnath for Guptkashi as part of passenger shuttle service. Deteriorating weather and descending clouds were reported. All seven occupants, comprising one pilot and six passengers, died.
May 8, 2025: Bell 407, VT-OXF helicopter operated by Aero Trans Services Pvt Ltd crashed into a gorge near Gangnani in Uttarkashi district while operating a Char Dham passenger service. The main rotor struck an overhead fibre-optic cable as the pilot attempted to descend towards the highway. Six people, including the pilot, died; one passenger survived with serious injuries.
June 15, 2025: Bell 407, VT-BKA helicopter operated by Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd crashed near Gaurikund in Rudraprayag while operating a Kedarnath-Guptkashi passenger shuttle service. It encountered extensive cloud cover and poor visibility near the valley exit. All seven occupants, including the pilot, five passengers and an infant, died.
(With agency inputs)