Helicopter Carrying Six Crashes Near Joshimath in Uttarakhand; Rescue Operations Underway

Incident Overview

A helicopter carrying six people, including one pilot and five passengers, crashed near Chai village in the Joshimath area of Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. The aircraft was reportedly operating a flight from Badrinath to Dehradun (Sahastradhara) at the time of the incident.

Official Response and Rescue Efforts

Authorities confirmed that the wreckage has been located. A large-scale search and rescue operation is currently in progress, involving:

• State Disaster Response Force (SDRF)
• Indian Army personnel
• Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
• Local district administration

According to officials, the alert was initiated after the aircraft went missing near Hathi Parvat. Sub-Inspector Manohar Kanyal noted that reports of the crash landing were received around 14:21 hours. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that he is personally monitoring the situation. He has issued directives to ensure that any individuals requiring urgent medical attention are airlifted to specialized facilities immediately.

Verification and Status

The incident remains an active rescue situation. For the latest updates, the public is advised to follow official statements released by the Uttarakhand government or the district administration of Chamoli. The specific cause of the crash has not yet been determined by aviation authorities.