A tragic incident occurred near the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand early Sunday morning, June 15, 2025, as a helicopter crashed, resulting in the death of all seven people on board. The deceased included six pilgrims and the pilot. Among the pilgrims was a 23-month-old infant and a 10-year-old child.
The helicopter, belonging to Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd, was en route from Kedarnath to Guptkashi when it crashed between Gaurikund and Trijuginarayan in Kedarghati. Sources indicate that the helicopter caught fire after the crash. The aircraft had taken off from Kedarnath around 5:30 am. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the helicopter involved took off from Guptakashi at 5:10 am, landed at Kedarnath helipad at 5:18 am, and then departed again at 5:19 am before crashing near Gaurikund.
Rudraprayag District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar told PTI that the accident occurred above the forests of Gaurikund, with poor visibility due to inclement weather conditions being a significant contributing factor. District tourism officer Rahul Chaubey also attributed the crash to bad weather, stating that the pilot attempted to navigate the helicopter out of the valley when it encountered sudden adverse conditions.
Following the crash, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his condolences and stated that the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local administration, and other rescue agencies were engaged in relief and rescue operations. He also took to X to share the unfortunate news and affirm the government's commitment to the rescue efforts. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also conveyed her grief over the accident.
In response to the crash, the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) and the DGCA have jointly suspended helicopter services operating in the Char Dham region until further notice. The DGCA has also stated that they have already reduced the frequency of helicopter operations to Char Dham as a precautionary measure, are carrying out enhanced surveillance, and are reviewing operations for any further action. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will investigate the accident.
Chief Minister Dhami has issued strict instructions regarding helicopter operations in the state, emphasizing the need for a stringent Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). This includes mandatory checks on the technical condition of helicopters and thorough weather assessments before operation. He has directed the Chief Secretary to form a committee of technical experts to prepare the SOP, ensuring that all safety and technical aspects of heli-operations are thoroughly reviewed to meet prescribed standards. Dhami also directed that the high-level committee investigating previous helicopter accidents in the state will also investigate this crash, identify causes, and recommend actions against those responsible.
This recent tragedy marks the fifth helicopter accident in Uttarakhand within approximately 40 days. On June 7, a helicopter carrying five pilgrims made an emergency landing on the Guptkashi–Gaurikund highway due to a technical fault. Prior to that, on May 8, a helicopter en route to Gangotri Dham crashed in Uttarkashi district, resulting in six fatalities.
