Helicopter Crash Near Kedarnath: No Injuries Reported
Private Helicopter Airlifted by MI-17 Crashes Near Mandakini River
A helicopter being transported from Kedarnath to Gauchar in Uttarakhand by an Indian Air Force MI-17 chopper crashed this morning, according to officials. The private helicopter went down near the Mandakini River in Lincholi, but thankfully, no one was injured in the incident, which was captured on video.
The helicopter was being moved to the Gauchar airstrip for repairs with the help of the MI-17. However, the MI-17 began to lose stability due to the helicopter’s weight and strong winds, forcing the pilot to drop the helicopter in an open area near Tharu camp, as reported by Rahul Chaubey, the tourism officer for Rudraprayag district.
“There were no passengers or cargo on the helicopter,” Chaubey noted, adding that a rescue team was quickly dispatched to the crash site.
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The same helicopter had previously made an emergency landing near the Kedarnath helipad in May due to technical issues. It had been used to transport passengers to the Kedarnath temple.
Since July 31, the number of pilgrims visiting Kedarnath has significantly decreased due to severe damage caused by heavy rains along the trek route. Landslides on the path from Gaurikund to Kedarnath trapped thousands of people, leading to a major rescue operation by the Air Force, which included Chinook and MI-17 helicopters, as well as private helicopters.
Despite the suspension of the trek route in August, pilgrims continued to reach the temple via helicopter.
The Chardham Yatra began this year on May 10 with the opening of the Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri temples, followed by the Badrinath temple on May 12. To date, more than 3.3 million pilgrims have visited the Himalayan temples.
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