“Monitoring entire incident”: Uttarakhand CM Dhami on helicopter crash near Joshimath

Dehradun : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday said that a joint rescue operation was underway following a helicopter crash near Chayi village, close to Joshimath.

“We have received the unfortunate news of a helicopter crash near Chayi village, close to Joshimath. A joint rescue operation is being conducted by the district administration, disaster management department, and SDRF,” he wrote on X.

“I myself am continuously monitoring the entire incident. Instructions have been given to immediately airlift the seriously injured to higher centers for better treatment,” he said.

“I pray to God for the safe return of the passengers,” Dhami added. 

Meanwhile, the Indian Army, Chamoli district administration and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been mobilised for a search and rescue operation after a Trans Bharat Aviation helicopter carrying six people went missing while flying from Badrinath to Sahastradhara in Dehradun on Friday, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) Chief Executive Officer Prateek Jain said.

The helicopter, bearing call sign VT-HCX, took off at approximately 1:14 PM and lost communication while passing through the Joshimath valley. Its tracking system also stopped receiving its location, and the aircraft’s current whereabouts could not be ascertained, according to UCADA.

“A helicopter belonging to Trans Bharat Aviation departed from Badrinath for the Sahastradhara heliport at 1:14 PM. We have been unable to trace the helicopter’s location since it was passing through the vicinity of the Joshimath valley,” Jain said, adding that teams had been mobilised to the area near the incident site to prepare for a rescue operation. 

As a precautionary measure, the entire fleet of helicopters belonging to Trans Bharat Aviation Pvt. Ltd. has been grounded. Jain said further details would be shared once confirmed.

“As a precautionary measure, the entire fleet of helicopters belonging to Trans Bharat Aviation has been grounded...According to initial information, there were 6 people on board—the pilot plus 5 others. We will share further details once we have confirmation," he added.