National News: A heartbreaking accident took place in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. A helicopter returning from Kedarnath Dham to Gaurikund crashed midway, killing five devotees. This helicopter is said to be of Aryan Aviation Company, which was bringing back pilgrims after darshan.
The accident happened amid dense fog
According to sources present on the spot, the weather in the area suddenly deteriorated in the morning at 5.30 am. The fog in the valley became dense, and visibility was very low. Amidst these circumstances, the helicopter took off and lost contact after a few minutes. Local people heard a loud explosion, after which forest department employees and villagers rushed to the spot. The debris of the helicopter was found scattered in the forest near Gaurikund.
There were six people on board the helicopter
According to the Uttarakhand Police, a total of six people were on board the helicopter at the time of the accident—the pilot and five passengers. So far, five bodies have been confirmed, while another is being searched for and confirmed. The work of removing the bodies is going on by the SDRF and NDRF teams. The rescue operation is also being described as challenging due to the inaccessibility of the spot.
Government-administration alert: temporary impact on travel
In view of the seriousness of the incident, the state government has directed all helicopter service providers to be immediately vigilant and stop flights till the weather clears. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has expressed deep grief over the accident and assured all possible assistance to the families of the deceased. Along with this, orders have also been given for a high-level inquiry into this accident.
Panic among passengers, questions on helicopter services
After the incident, there is an atmosphere of fear among the devotees traveling to Kedarnath. Some passengers have opted for walking, while many have postponed the journey. This accident once again raises the question of whether heli services in mountainous areas are being operated with adequate safety standards or not.
In a hilly state like Uttarakhand, air services are considered a boon for pilgrims, but incidents like these reduce the trust in them. There is a need to tighten the surveillance on the companies involved in helicopter operations, make weather monitoring more accurate, and give priority to the safety of passengers.
