After Kedarnath crash, Uttarakhand to resume helicopter services on June 17

Seven people were killed after a Kedarnath-bound helicopter crashed on June 16; services to resume on June 17 if weather is favourable

Helicopter shuttle operations for the Char Dham Yatra will resume on Tuesday (June 17), a day after the service was stopped following the deadly crash in Kedarnath valley. Sonika, chief executive of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), confirmed on Monday evening that flights would restart “only if the weather conditions will be favourable”. 

The service was suspended on Sunday morning when a chopper ferrying pilgrims from Kedarnath to Guptkashi went down near the forested area of Gaurikund, killing all seven people on board — among them a pilot who had recently become a father of twins, a Maharashtra couple travelling with their two-year-old daughter, and an elderly woman from Uttar Pradesh accompanied by her granddaughter.

 

DGCA cuts flight frequency, CM issues stern warning

Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami had initially ordered a two-day halt “to prioritise passenger safety” after the Aryan Aviation helicopter crash. “Helicopter services will not run today or tomorrow. These services will remain closed until the safety of the passengers is ensured,” he said on Sunday. 

In the interim, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) mandated a reduction in helicopter sorties to the Char Dham and it will keep “a close watch on all the shuttle services”. At an emergency review meeting, the chief minister directed operators to “strictly adhere to DGCA safety guidelines,” adding, “Our instructions are clear — aviation companies must not flout DGCA rules.”

  He further stressed that only pilots experienced in Himalayan flying should be rostered for these high-altitude routes.     

 

Aryan Aviation booked under Aircraft Act

A case has been registered against Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd for alleged negligence leading to the fatal crash. The Bell 407 helicopter, which belonged to the company, is believed to have crashed due to poor weather conditions in the forested region of Gauri Mai Khark, between Gaurikund and Triyuginarayan. 

Police have filed a case against Aryan Aviation’s Accountable Manager Kaushik Pathak and Manager Vikas Tomar at the Sonprayag police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 10 of the Aircraft Act, 1934. 

The FIR was lodged based on a complaint by Sub-Inspector Rajiv Nakholia, posted in Phata. According to the complaint, Aryan Aviation had been allotted the first operational slot between 6 am and 7 am on June 15, but the accident occurred at 5.30 am — before official operations were scheduled to begin.

 

[With agency inputs]