News
All 7 on Board Dead After Helicopter Flying Out of Kedarnath Crashes Amid Bad Weather
Fatalities & Identities
- Pilot: Captain Rajveer Singh Chauhan (Jaipur)
- Passengers:
- Vikram Singh Rawat (Temple committee member, Uttarakhand)
- Vinod Devi (66) and granddaughter Trishti Singh (19) from UP
- Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal (41), his wife Shraddha (35), and toddler daughter Kashi (2) from Maharashtra
Cause & Conditions
- Primary factors: Poor visibility and sudden dense fog shortly after takeoff led to controlled flight into terrain (CFIT)
- Terrain challenges: The helicopter crashed in a remote, steep valley near Gauri Mai Khark, just ~5 km from Gaurikund, where limited maneuvering options exist
- Weather: A yellow weather alert for heavy rain and dense clouds existed in the area on crash day
Government Advisory & Investigations
- Suspended services: Uttarakhand suspended all helicopter operations in the Kedarnath–Guptkashi corridor for two days. Aryan Aviation operations were halted, and pilots from another company were suspended for flying in unsuitable weather
- Safety oversight: DGCA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued directives:
- Only experienced high-altitude pilots allowed
- Real-time weather monitoring
- Live command-and-control room established
- Technical expert committee to draft new SOPs
- Investigation: AAIB will conduct a formal inquiry; a police FIR has been filed under culpable homicide provisions .
Context & Significance
- Pattern of incidents: This is the fifth helicopter accident in the Kedarnath region within six weeks—three emergency landings and two crashes with fatalities—raising serious safety alarms
- Pilgrimage pressure: The Char Dham Yatra attracts huge crowds, and helicopters are crucial for traversing tough Himalayan terrain—but operational pressure and commercial incentives may affect safety
- Recent aviation tragedy: This crash followed closely on the heels of the Air India Boeing 787 disaster in Ahmedabad, which further intensified aviation-safety concerns in the country