Five people have died after an Aryan Aviation helicopter flying pilgrims to Kedarnath Dham crashed in a forested area between Gaurikund and Sonprayag, Uttarakhand, on Tuesday.
The helicopter was operating on the short, approximately 10-minute route from Guptkashi to the Himalayan shrine when the accident occurred. Uttarakhand Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Law and Order, Dr. V Murugeshan, confirmed that six individuals were on board the aircraft at the time of the crash.
Initial reports cited by authorities suggest a combination of technical problems and adverse weather conditions may have caused the crash.
Uttarakhand helicopter crash | Today, at around 5:20 am, a helicopter, which was going from Shri Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi, has been reported to have crashed near Gaurikund. There were six passengers, including the pilot (5 adults and 1 child). The passengers in the helicopter… pic.twitter.com/AVGtuxWKGj
— ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2025
The wreckage was located after local residents, who were in the area gathering cattle fodder, spotted the downed helicopter and alerted authorities. Rescue teams are currently en route to the remote crash site.
This incident marks the fifth helicopter accident since the Kedarnath temple reopened for pilgrims on May 2nd.
(This Is Developing Story, More Details Awaited)