Badrinath-bound helicopter crashes near Joshimath; rescue operation underway

• A Trans Bharat Aviation helicopter carrying six people crashed near Chai village, close to Joshimath, after taking off from Badrinath

• District administration, SDRF and medical teams have launched a search and rescue operation, with poor weather hampering efforts

• The helicopter’s last reported contact was near Hathi Pahad; the condition of those on board remains unknown

A helicopter operated by private aviation company Trans Bharat Aviation crashed near Chai village, close to Joshimath in Uttarakhand, on Friday, prompting a search and rescue operation. Six people are reported to have been on board.

The crash reportedly took place in the Vishnuprayag area, between Badrinath and Joshimath. Teams from the district administration and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed, while medical teams have been rushed to the area.

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed the incident and said he was closely monitoring the situation.

In a post on X, Dhami said a joint rescue operation involving the district administration, disaster management department and SDRF was under way. He added that officials had been instructed to ensure that any seriously injured passengers were airlifted to advanced medical facilities without delay.

“I pray to God for the safe return of the passengers,” he said.

Deputy superintendent of police Madan Singh Bisht said officials were gathering information about the incident.

Chamoli district disaster management officer Nandkishore Joshi said reports of a white object burning in the forest above the JP Dam had raised suspicion that it was the crashed helicopter. Other helicopters have been deployed for aerial reconnaissance and to help locate the aircraft.

According to preliminary information, the helicopter, bearing registration number VT-HCX, took off from Badrinath at around 1.12 pm. Its last reported contact was near the Army post atop Hathi Pahad, opposite Joshimath.

Chamoli district magistrate Gaurav Kumar said the administration launched a rescue operation soon after receiving information about the crash. Officials are coordinating with the helicopter operator to assess the situation.

However, persistent rainfall and dense cloud cover have hampered search and rescue efforts in the region.

The condition of those on board remains unclear, and further details are awaited.

The crash comes amid a series of helicopter-related incidents on Uttarakhand’s Char Dham routes. Earlier this month, one helicopter made an emergency landing in Rudraprayag due to poor weather, while another was forced to land in Tehri following a technical snag.

With IANS inputs