Uttarakhand helicopter crash: 6 dead as chopper returning from Badrinath goes down in Chamoli
New Delhi: A helicopter carrying six people, including five passengers and a pilot crashed in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Friday. The aircraft was returning from Badrinath Dham when it went missing between Badrinath and Joshimath. After hours of search operation the rescuers have recovered badly charred bodies from the crash site.
According to information received from the Chamoli district administration, the helicopter lost contact while operating between Badrinath and Joshimath. It was reportedly flying towards Dehradun when the incident occurred.
The aircraft is suspected to have crashed amid adverse weather conditions in the mountainous region. An aerial search team was deployed in another helicopter to trace the missing aircraft.
During the search, teams spotted visuals of debris in the area, raising fears that the helicopter had crashed. However, authorities were yet to confirm the exact location of the wreckage or establish the condition of those on board.
#WATCH | Uttarakhand: A team from the district administration is currently searching for the missing helicopter travelling from Badrinath to Dehradun.
Smoke was seen rising near Chaien village in Joshimath, following the disappearance of the helicopter. There are six people on board the helicopter, including five passengers and one pilot: Chamoli district administration
— ANI (@ANI) October 30, 2026
NDRF, SDRF teams mobilised for rescue operation
Following the incident, the district administration mobilised police and emergency response teams to locate the aircraft. Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Uttarakhand Police were also on their way to the suspected crash site.
The search operation was underway as authorities worked to establish the exact location of the helicopter. Further details about the passengers and pilot were awaited. Adverse weather conditions are suspected to have played a role in the incident, although the exact cause of the crash has not yet been established.
Two emergency landings reported earlier this month
The latest incident comes weeks after two emergency landings involving helicopters operating on Char Dham routes were reported in Uttarakhand. In one incident, a helicopter had to make an emergency landing in Rudraprayag due to poor weather conditions. Another aircraft was forced to land in Tehri following a technical issue.
The latest crash has once again raised concerns over helicopter operations in Uttarakhand’s mountainous regions where unpredictable weather and poor visibility can pose challenges for aircraft.