Helicopter Carrying Pilgrims Crashes in Indian Himalayas, Killing All 6 Aboard

A helicopter carrying Hindu pilgrims has crashed in a mountainous region near the Himalayas in northern India, killing all six people on board.

According to foreign news outlets including AP and AFP on the 31st local time, a helicopter carrying Hindu pilgrims suddenly crashed the previous afternoon in the Chamoli district of India's northern Uttarakhand state.

The accident resulted in the deaths of all six occupants, including the pilot and the pilgrims.

They were on their way back to Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand state, by helicopter after completing a pilgrimage in Badrinath, located within the Chamoli district, which is home to a Hindu holy site.

The helicopter, operated by the Indian private company Trans Bharat Aviation, crashed near a military base, after which heavy smoke was seen rising from the site.

A high-ranking official from the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority told AP, "The helicopter lost contact (with air traffic control) while flying across the Joshimath valley."

Rescue authorities deployed disaster response teams along with the army and recovered all six bodies.

Indian authorities have ordered the suspension of operations for all helicopters belonging to Trans Bharat Aviation until the cause of the crash is determined.

The mountainous region of Uttarakhand hosts several Hindu holy sites, drawing millions of pilgrims every year.

Among them, wealthy pilgrims often use helicopters.

In June of last year, a helicopter carrying Hindu pilgrims also crashed in the Gaurikund area of Uttarakhand, killing seven people.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.