The helicopter was traveling from Kedarnath along a well-known Hindu pilgrimage route through the Himalayan mountains.
Rescue teams were immediately dispatched, and efforts to recover the bodies have been carried out in coordination with local police, according to Indian news agencies.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed that the pilot and a two-year-old child were among the fatalities. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will conduct a formal investigation into the crash.
Bansidhar Tripathi, the state’s director-general of information, noted that the Char Dham Yatra pilgrimage route has witnessed “three emergency landings and two helicopter crashes in the past month and a half.”
Following the accident, senior officials held a meeting and ordered a complete suspension of helicopter services on the route until Monday. Helicopter operations will only resume after consultations with all operators and a thorough review of the pilots’ experience flying in the high Himalayan regions, Chief Minister Dhami stated.
Dhami also mandated the implementation of strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for helicopter services. A centralized command and coordination center will be established in Dehradun, the state capital, to improve safety and operational coordination.
He emphasized that any negligence, regardless of level, will be identified and punished accordingly. The Rudraprayag District Administration has been instructed to contact the families of the deceased and ensure proper arrangements for the repatriation of the bodies to their respective home states.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims visit the four sacred Hindu sites—Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, and Kedarnath—located in the Himalayas. This has fostered a growing helicopter charter industry catering to wealthy pilgrims seeking to avoid the physically demanding trek to these shrines.
