Helicopter lost communication, tracking over Joshimath valley, moments before crash

A helicopter carrying six people crashed on Friday in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. The helicopter, operated by Trans Bharat Aviation Pvt Ltd, crashed while returning from Badrinath to Dehradun amid adverse weather conditions.The helicopter had six people on board, including pilot Captain Himanshu and five passengers, who have been identified as Prathapa, Arun, Shankar Gowda, Sudheer K and HS Natraja.Also Read | Helicopter returning from Badrinath crashes near Joshimath amid bad weatherHelicopter lost communication, trackingAs per Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), the helicopter, bearing call sign VT-HCX, took off from Badrinath at around 1.14pm for Sahastradhara in Dehradun.While flying over the Joshimath valley, the aircraft lost communication, after which its tracking system also stopped showing the chopper's location.After the helicopter went missing and reports of a crash surfaced, teams from the Indian Army, Chamoli district administration and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were mobilised and dispatched to carry out search and rescue operations, said UCADA.The district administration further said that the helicopter crashed into a hillside near the JP Power House.As a precautionary measure, the state civil aviation authorities added that an entire fleet of Trans Bharat Aviation Pvt Ltd was also grounded.The search and rescue operations to locate the helicopter and the six people on board are underway.

CM orders search and rescueIn a post on X, Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed the crash and stated that a search and rescue operation has been launched.“Reports have been received regarding an unfortunate helicopter crash near Chai village, close to Joshimath. A joint rescue operation is being conducted by the district administration, the Disaster Management Department, and the SDRF,” he wrote on X.“I am personally monitoring the situation closely.

I have issued instructions to ensure that those who are critically injured are immediately airlifted to a higher-level medical facility for better treatment. I pray to God for the safety of the passengers,” the CM added further.