Kedarnath chopper crash: Helicopter services for Chardham yatra suspended for two days

New Delhi: The operations of Aryan Aviation for ‘Char Dham Yatra’ in Uttarakhand was on Sunday suspended with immediate effect after one of its choppers – a Bell 407 helicopter – was involved in a crash that killed seven people, including the pilot, on board.

Following the early morning incident, all charter and shuttle helicopter operations in the region have been stopped for two days till Monday while licences of two pilots who operated choppers of another company TransBharat Aviation under unsuitable weather conditions similar to that led to the crash of Aryan Aviation's chopper were suspended.

These decisions were taken at a high-level meeting convened by Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and attended by senior officials of state Government of Uttarakhand and Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha among others, a statement by the Ministry of Civil Aviation said.

Aryan Aviation’s ill-fated helicopter was operating on ‘Shri Kedarnath-ji – Aryan Helipad, Guptkashi’ and it crashed while on return from Kedarnath, which killed five passengers, an infant and pilot. The chopper took off from Kedarnath for Guptakashi at 5:19 AM and crashed near Gaurikund between 5:30 AM and 5:45AM.

Preliminary indications suggest that the probable cause may be Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT), with the helicopter reportedly airborne despite poor visibility and extensive clouding at the valley entry area, the statement said. CFIT refers to an accident when an aircraft is inadvertently flown into ground water or an obstacle.

The exact cause will be determined through a detailed investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

The Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority has also been directed to hold a comprehensive review with all operators and pilots before resumption of services to ensure full alignment with safety protocols. It will also establish a dedicated Command-and-Control Room to monitor real-time operations and ensure immediate escalation of any risk indicators.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to immediately post officers from Airworthiness, Safety, and Operations to actively oversee all helicopter activity in the Kedarnath valley and rigorously review the functioning of the UCADA Command-and-Control Room.

Reiterating that aviation safety is non-negotiable and that no operator should undertake flights in violation of weather-related and other protocols, the statement said, the Ministry has issued strict instructions to DGCA to enforce all extant provisions with full authority and to ensure that discipline in flying operations is maintained at all costs, given the sanctity of human life.