Helicopter Crashes in Kedarnath During Airlift by MI-17 Chopper

A malfunctioning helicopter being airlifted from Kedarnath to Gauchar in Uttarakhand by an MI-17 chopper accidentally plummeted from mid-air this morning after the towing rope snapped. The helicopter, which was operated by a private company, crashed near the Mandakini River in Lincholi. An official said no one was injured in the accident, which was caught on camera.

“Today, the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) rescue team was informed by the police in Lincholi that a malfunctioning helicopter, owned by a private company and being towed by another helicopter from the Shri Kedarnath helipad to the Gochar helipad, crashed into the river at Lincholi near Tharu Camp. The SDRF team is on-site and conducting relief operations. Fortunately, there has been no loss of life in this incident,” an official was quoted by news agency ANI.

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Kedarnath Pilgrimage Severely Impacted by Monsoon Rains

There has been a sharp drop in the number of pilgrims going to Kedarnath since July 31 due to extensive damage caused by heavy rain to the trek route to the Himalayan temple.

Rain-induced landslides along the route from Gaurikund to Kedarnath had left thousands of people stranded, prompting the administration to launch a massive rescue operation aided by the Air Force’s Chinook and MI17 helicopters, besides private choppers.

Though the trek route had remained largely suspended in August, the pilgrims arrived at the temple on helicopters. The Chardham Yatra commenced this year on May 10 with the opening of the Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri temples, followed by the opening of Badrinath on May 12. To date, over 3.3 million pilgrims have visited these Himalayan temples.

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