Helicopter Airlifted by MI-17 Crashes in Kedarnath

Photo : Reuters

A private helicopter, which had previously encountered technical issues, crashed this morning while being airlifted from Kedarnath to Gauchar by an Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopter. The accident occurred near the Mandakini River in Lincholi, but fortunately, no one was injured. The incident, which was captured on camera, involved the MI-17 dropping the defective helicopter in a vacant area after the aircraft began losing balance.

According to Rudraprayag District Tourism Officer Rahul Chaubey, the MI-17 started to lose balance due to the combined weight of the private helicopter and the impact of the wind. As the MI-17 covered a short distance, it became unstable, prompting the pilot to drop the helicopter near the Tharu camp to avoid a more severe crash.

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The private helicopter, which had made an emergency landing near the Kedarnath helipad in May due to technical faults, was being transported for repairs at the Gauchar airstrip. It had previously been involved in ferrying passengers to the Kedarnath temple. There were no passengers or cargo on board the helicopter at the time of the crash.

The accident comes amid a significant drop in pilgrimage traffic to Kedarnath since July 31, following severe rain-induced damage to the trekking routes leading to the Himalayan temple. Landslides along the route from Gaurikund to Kedarnath left thousands stranded, prompting a large-scale rescue operation involving the Air Force’s Chinook and MI-17 helicopters, along with private choppers.

Despite the suspension of the trekking route in August, pilgrims have continued to reach the temple via helicopter. The Chardham Yatra for the year began on May 10 with the opening of the Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri temples, while Badrinath’s portals opened on May 12.