The wreckage of a helicopter operated by Trans Bharat Aviation Pvt. Ltd., which went missing while flying from Badrinath to Dehradun, has been found near Joshimath in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. Following the incident, the entire fleet of the aviation company has been grounded as a precautionary measure.
Helicopter loses contact over Joshimath valley
According to the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority, the helicopter, bearing call sign VT-HCX, took off at approximately 1:14 pm for Sahastradhara in Dehradun. It reportedly lost communication while flying over the Joshimath valley, following which its tracking system also stopped receiving signals. Its location could not initially be ascertained.
However, Garhwal Commissioner Anand Swaroop said there was no official confirmation of a crash and that the helicopter had only been reported missing. His statement came after Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed the crash in a post on X.
Swaroop said the chartered helicopter was booked by a passenger and was flying from Badrinath towards Sahastradhara. Its last known location was above Joshimath, after which contact was lost. He added that five passengers and one pilot were on board, with all five passengers reportedly belonging to Bengaluru, according to UCADA.
Search and rescue teams mobilised
Soon after receiving information about the incident, teams from the Indian Army, Chamoli district administration and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were mobilised for search and rescue operations. Earlier, Sub-Inspector Manohar Kanya of Joshimath Police Post said information about the helicopter's disappearance was received from the local SDM at 2:21 pm. The aircraft was reportedly carrying six people, including the pilot.
Pilot and five passengers identified
The pilot has been identified as Captain Himanshu, while the five passengers are Prathapa, Arun, Shankar Gowda, Sudheer K and H.S. Natraja.
Chief Minister monitors rescue operation
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said a joint rescue operation was underway and that he was continuously monitoring the situation. He also directed officials to ensure that seriously injured passengers were immediately airlifted to higher medical centres for treatment.
