Published Oct 30, 2026 | 4:56 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 30, 2026 | 5:23 PM
Uttarakhand helicopter crash. (Screengrab)
Synopsis: The helicopter, operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, took off from Badrinath to Dehradun at 1.14 pm. It lost contact near the Army post on Hathi Parvat, opposite Joshimath. Multiple agencies are searching for the chopper despite inclement weather. The condition of those on board is unknown.
Five passengers from Bengaluru were among six people on board a helicopter that crashed near Chayee village close to Joshimath in Uttarakhand on Friday, 30 October.
The helicopter was returning to Dehradun from Badrinath when it went missing. Search and rescue personnel later spotted smoke rising from a forested area near Chayee village, raising suspicion of a crash.
The helicopter, operated by Trans Bharat Aviation Pvt Ltd under call sign VT-HCX, took off from Badrinath at around 1.14 pm and lost communication while flying over the Joshimath valley. Its tracking signals also disappeared, prompting an emergency search operation.
The five passengers have been identified as Prathapa, Arun, Shankar Gowda, Sudheer K and H.S. Natraja. The pilot has been identified as Captain Himanshu. The passengers are reportedly from Karnataka.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed the crash and said a rescue operation involving the district administration, SDRF and disaster management teams had been initiated. The Indian Army and other agencies were also mobilised.
“I myself am continuously monitoring the entire incident. Instructions have been given to immediately airlift the seriously injured to higher centers for better treatment,” Dhami said on X.
Authorities have grounded the operational fleet of Trans Bharat Aviation as a precautionary measure. Adverse weather conditions, including poor visibility and rainfall, have complicated rescue efforts.
Further details are awaited.
चाई गांव, जोशीमठ के निकट हेलीकॉप्टर क्रैश होने की दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण सूचना प्राप्त हुई है। जिला प्रशासन, आपदा प्रबंधन विभाग, एसडीआरएफ द्वारा संयुक्त रूप से रेस्क्यू ऑपरेशन चलाया जा रहा है।
स्वयं भी पूरे घटनाक्रम की निरंतर निगरानी कर रहा हूं। गंभीर रूप से घायलों को तत्काल एयरलिफ्ट कर बेहतर उपचार हेतु हायर सेंटर पहुंचाने के निर्देश दिए हैं।
ईश्वर से यात्रियों के सकुशल होने की कामना करता हूं।
— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) October 30, 2026
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Keerthivas)
