Uttarakhand Helicopter Crash: All Six On Board Killed Near Joshimath

Five Bengaluru Passengers and Pilot Die as Chopper Crashes in Chamoli District

A civil helicopter operated by Trans Bharat Aviation crashed in the Hathi Parvat area of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Friday, October 30, killing all six people on board, including five passengers and the pilot.

The helicopter was flying from Shri Badrinath Dham to Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun when it crashed into a hillside near Chhai village in the Joshimath region.

According to reports, the aircraft took off around 1:14 pm and subsequently lost contact while crossing the Joshimath valley.

Personnel from the Army’s Signal Centre reportedly spotted smoke rising from the helicopter and observed it descending rapidly in the mountainous region, triggering alerts and search operations.

The five passengers were identified as Prathapa, Arun, Shankar Gowda, Sudheer K and H.S. Natraja, all reportedly residents of Bengaluru. The pilot was identified as Captain Himanshu, from Delhi.

Teams from the Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Uttarakhand Police, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and district administration were deployed for search and recovery operations. Authorities subsequently confirmed that all six occupants had died and their bodies were recovered.

Adverse weather, including rain and poor visibility, hampered rescue efforts. However, the exact cause of the crash has not yet been officially established.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said he was monitoring the situation and directed officials to ensure necessary rescue and relief measures.