A tragic helicopter crash near Kedarnath on Sunday, June 15, 2025, claimed the lives of all seven people on board, including a two-year-old child. The incident occurred around 5:20 AM when the helicopter, operated by Aryan Aviation, was en route from Kedarnath to Guptkashi in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district. Preliminary reports indicate that poor visibility due to inclement weather may have been a significant contributing factor to the crash.
The crash site was located near Gaurikund, approximately 5 kilometers uphill. Local villagers who were cutting grass in the area were the first to report the incident, prompting immediate response from State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, and other rescue teams. The bodies were recovered from the charred wreckage of the aircraft.
The deceased have been identified as Captain Rajbir Singh Chauhan, the pilot, who was a veteran of the Indian Army with extensive flying experience in varied terrains; Vikram Rawat, an employee of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee; Vinod Devi and Trishti Singh, both from Uttar Pradesh; and Rajkumar Jaiswal, Shraddha Rajkumar Jaiswal, and their 23-month-old daughter Kashi, from Maharashtra.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his condolences and ordered a high-level investigation into the incident. In the aftermath, all Char Dham yatra operations by Aryan Aviation have been suspended immediately. Furthermore, two pilots from another company have been suspended for six months for operating flights in unsuitable weather conditions.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has stated that preliminary investigations suggest a "Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT)" scenario, where the helicopter was airborne despite poor visibility and heavy cloud cover. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will conduct a detailed investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash. As a safety precaution, all charter and shuttle helicopter operations in the region were suspended for Sunday and Monday.
This recent tragedy is the fifth helicopter-related incident in Uttarakhand in the past six weeks, raising serious concerns about aviation safety during the Char Dham Yatra. On May 8, 2025, a helicopter crashed near Gangotri, resulting in the deaths of six people. Just days before this recent crash, on June 7, a helicopter carrying pilgrims to Kedarnath was forced to make an emergency landing on a highway due to a technical snag.
In light of these frequent incidents, authorities are under pressure to review and reinforce safety protocols for helicopter operations in the region. Factors such as bad weather, technical issues, and adherence to safety regulations are being closely examined to prevent future accidents. The challenging terrain and unpredictable weather conditions in the Himalayan region pose significant risks to aviation, requiring stringent safety measures and skilled pilots to ensure the safety of pilgrims.
