Tragedy in Kedarnath: Seven Killed in Helicopter Crash in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag

 RUDRAPRAYAG, UTTARAKHAND – June 15, 2025,  Seven people, including an infant and the pilot, were killed when a helicopter operated by Aryan Aviation crashed near Gaurikund in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district on Sunday morning. The chopper was returning from the revered Kedarnath Shrine to Guptkashi when the tragic incident occurred.

According to officials, the helicopter had taken off from Guptkashi at 5:10 am and landed at the Kedarnath helipad at 5:18 am. It departed again for Guptkashi at 5:19 am but lost contact shortly thereafter, crashing in the hilly terrain between Gaurikund and Triyuginarayan. Visuals from the scene showed the wreckage engulfed in flames in an open field.

Authorities have suspended helicopter services across all four Char Dham shrines following the crash.

Weather a Likely Factor

Preliminary investigations suggest inclement weather may have contributed to the crash. Sources close to the matter indicated that the helicopter attempted to ascend to avoid adverse conditions, but ultimately failed to clear the mountainous area.

"There were six passengers and one crew member onboard. One of the deceased was a two-year-old child. A BKTC (Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee) employee was also among the victims," confirmed Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey.

Victims Identified

The deceased have been identified as:

• Captain Rajbir Singh Chauhan, pilot, hailing from Jaipur

• Vikram Rawat (45), resident of Rasi, Ukhimath, Uttarakhand

• Vinod Devi (66), from Uttar Pradesh

• Trishti Singh (19), from Uttar Pradesh

• Rajkumar (41), from Maharashtra

• Shraddha Rajkumar (35), wife of Rajkumar

• Kashi, their 2-year-old son

CM Dhami and Officials Respond

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed deep sorrow over the incident. In a statement shared on social media platform X, he wrote:

“Very sad news has been received about a helicopter crash in Rudraprayag district. SDRF, local administration, and other rescue teams are actively engaged in relief and rescue operations. I pray to Baba Kedar for the safety of all the travellers.”

The crash has drawn renewed attention to aviation safety in the region, particularly during pilgrimage season when chartered helicopter services are in high demand for Char Dham Yatra.

Context: National Aviation Safety Concerns

This incident comes just days after the catastrophic crash of Air India Flight AI171, a London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner, shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12. The crash claimed the lives of 241 people, with only one British national surviving. The aircraft’s black box has been recovered, and investigations are ongoing to determine the cause.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the Air India crash site and met with the families of victims as well as the sole survivor.

As the nation grapples with these two devastating aviation tragedies within a span of days, calls for stricter safety protocols and weather-related restrictions in sensitive terrains like Uttarakhand are expected to intensify.