A helicopter carrying six people, including its pilot, crashed near Joshimath in India’s Uttarakhand state on Friday, with all those on board feared dead, Indian media reported.
The helicopter, operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, crashed into a hillside near Chai village in Chamoli district at around 2:20 pm while travelling from Badrinath to Dehradun.
The aircraft was carrying five passengers and a pilot. Authorities later located the wreckage near the JP Power House area.
According to media reports, the helicopter took off from Badrinath at approximately 1:14 pm local time for Sahastradhara heliport in Dehradun before losing contact while flying over the Joshimath valley.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local police and district administration launched a rescue operation after receiving information about the suspected crash.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister (CM) Pushkar Singh Dhami said he was closely monitoring the situation and had directed officials to ensure immediate medical assistance for any survivors.
As a precautionary measure, the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) also grounded the entire fleet of Trans Bharat Aviation following the incident.
The crash occurred amid adverse weather conditions in the region, with rainfall and snowfall reported in several parts of Uttarakhand.
