Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: A helicopter being airlifted from Kedarnath to Gauchar in Uttarakhand by an Indian Air Force (IAF) MI-17 chopper crashed this morning near the Mandakini River in Lincholi. The incident occurred when the MI-17 helicopter, tasked with transporting the defective private chopper for repairs, began losing balance due to the weight of the helicopter and strong winds. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident, which was captured on camera.
The District Tourism Officer, Rahul Chaubey, explained that the helicopter was en route to the Gauchar airstrip when the MI-17 started experiencing instability. “As soon as the MI-17 covered a short distance, it began to lose balance because of the helicopter’s weight and the wind. The pilot had to release it near the Tharu camp,” Mr. Chaubey stated in an official statement.
Mr. Chaubey also confirmed that there were no passengers or luggage on board the helicopter at the time of the crash. A rescue team was dispatched to the crash site immediately following the incident.
The private helicopter involved in the crash had previously made an emergency landing near the Kedarnath helipad in May due to technical issues. It had been used earlier to ferry passengers to the Kedarnath temple, a popular pilgrimage site in the region.
The number of pilgrims visiting Kedarnath has significantly declined since July 31, following extensive damage to the trek route caused by heavy rainfall. Rain-induced landslides along the path from Gaurikund to Kedarnath stranded thousands of pilgrims, prompting a large-scale rescue operation that involved the use of IAF Chinook and MI-17 helicopters, as well as private choppers.
While the trek route was largely suspended throughout August due to adverse weather conditions, pilgrims continued to reach the Kedarnath temple via helicopters.
This year’s Chardham Yatra began on May 10 with the opening of the Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri temples, followed by the opening of the Badrinath temple on May 12. So far, over 33 lakh pilgrims have visited the sacred Himalayan temples despite the challenges posed by the weather.
