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Helicopter Crash Near Kedarnath Claims Seven Lives
RUDRAPRAYAG, INDIA, June 15, 2025 — A helicopter crashed near Gaurikund in Uttarakhand, India, killing all seven people onboard. The Aryan Aviation Bell 407 was traveling from Shri Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi when it went down at around 5:20 a.m. local time.
The victims included the pilot, Captain Rajbir Singh Chauhan, and six passengers: Vikram Rawat, a temple committee employee; Vinod Devi and Trishti Singh from Uttar Pradesh; and Rajkumar Jaiswal, Shraddha Jaiswal, and their 23-month-old daughter Kashi from Maharashtra. Poor visibility and bad weather likely caused the crash, officials said.
The chopper took off from Kedarnath at 5:19 a.m. and lost contact shortly after. Locals spotted smoke in the dense forest area and alerted authorities. Rescue teams from the National and State Disaster Response Forces reached the site by 8:55 a.m. All bodies were recovered, charred from the fire that engulfed the wreckage.
This marks the fifth helicopter incident in Uttarakhand in six weeks. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami suspended all helicopter services in the Char Dham region. He ordered stricter safety protocols and a thorough investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.
The crash has raised concerns about aviation safety in the high-altitude Himalayan region. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has reduced helicopter operations to Char Dham sites and is reviewing safety measures.
