Chopper carrying MPs lands immediately after pilot informed about Kedarnath crash

Belagavi: A chopper carrying members of the Official Language Committee of Parliament from Guptkashi to Kedarnath was landed soon after takeoff after the pilot was informed about a helicopter that flew earlier went missing. Information of the missing chopper getting crashed was received on Sunday.

Official Language Committee of the Parliament included Rajya Sabha Member Iranna Kadadi from Belagavi.

Kadadi told DH over phone from Dehradun on Monday that he along with six members of the committee had reached Uttarakhand a day before the meeting to visit Kedarnath and Badrinath.

After they boarded the helicopter to go towards Kedarnath, the pilot landed it immediately after takeoff as a message was received on radio that a helicopter which had flown earlier had gone missing. After the chopper landed, another message was received confirming that it had crashed.

Weather at Guptkashi was not clear and visibility was low. Chopper services from Gupkashi were available from sunrise to sunset due to visibility issues. "We were informed that the helicopter services have been stopped after the crash for the day and immediately a message was received from the Chief Minister's office too that all committee members should return by road," he said.

Kadadi said that the MPs were safe and they conducted their scheduled meeting in Dehradun on Monday.