Kedarnath helicopter crash: Seven killed; Search operations were hampered by rain

In Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district Tuesday morning, seven people were killed when a helicopter carrying Kedarnath pilgrims crashed after colliding with a hill amid low visibility.

The chopper, owned by Delhi-based Aryan Aviation Private Limited, crashed just minutes after taking off near Garud Chatti while traveling back from Kedarnath.

Teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and district police are on the scene conducting a search and rescue operation.

According to the SDRF, the incident took place between Lincholi and Garud Chatti, and rescue teams from Kedarnath and Lincholi reached the scene.

In addition to Purva Ramanuj, Kriti, Urvi, Sujata, Prem Kumar, Kala, and pilot Anil Singh, other passengers have been identified as Kriti, Urvi, Sujata, Prem Kumar, Kala, and the captain.

Several prominent leaders tweeted about the accident, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, and Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya M Scindia.

“Anguished by the helicopter crash in Uttarakhand. In this tragic hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families: PM @narendramodi,” said the Prime Minister’s Office on Twitter.