Home / Disasters and Accidents / Uttarakhand Helicopter Crashes Amid Snowfall, 6 Feared Dead
Uttarakhand Helicopter Crashes Amid Snowfall, 6 Feared Dead
30 Oct
Summary
- Helicopter crashed near Chayee village, close to Joshimath.
- Six people, including the pilot, were on board the ill-fated flight.
- Rescue operations were immediately launched by state and army teams.
A helicopter operating on the Joshimath-Badrinath route in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district has crashed, resulting in the loss of six lives, including the pilot. The Trans Bharat Aviation Pvt Ltd helicopter, with call sign VT-HCX, departed from Badrinath around 1:14 pm on October 30, 2026, amidst heavy snowfall. Communication was lost near the Hathi Parvat area, and the tracking system subsequently failed.
Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami confirmed the crash near Chayee village and stated that a joint rescue operation was underway involving the district administration, disaster management department, and SDRF. The Chief Minister emphasized continuous monitoring of the situation and issued instructions for the prompt airlift of seriously injured individuals. The entire fleet of the operating aviation company has been grounded as a precautionary measure.
This incident adds to a concerning history of helicopter operations in Uttarakhand, with at least 12 recorded incidents, including major crashes, over the past decade. A previous fatal crash in June 2025 claimed seven lives near Kedarnath.
