Uttarakhand Helicopter Crash: 6 Dead, Including Bengaluru Cop, Bodies Airlifted
Bodies of six victims, including a Bengaluru cop, have been airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh after a tragic helicopter crash near Joshimath.
In a grueling rescue operation across the rugged terrains of Chamoli district, the bodies of six individuals killed in a tragic Uttarakhand helicopter crash victims incident have been recovered and airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh. The victims, who were returning from the Badrinath Dham, perished when their aircraft went missing near Joshimath.
A Grueling Rescue Mission
The recovery process was a monumental challenge due to the crash site's location in an extremely high-altitude and rugged area. A massive joint operation was launched, involving the Indian Army, ITBP, SDRF, NDRF, the district administration, local police, and the Forest Department.
Rescue teams had to trek through difficult mountain trails from the Pandukeshwar side, finally reaching the wreckage late in the evening. In a display of immense effort, the teams carried the mortal remains on foot for 12 kilometers to the nearest road head before they could be airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh for post-mortem examinations.
Bengaluru Police Officer Among the Deceased
Among the six casualties was Arun Solanki, an inspector with the Central Crime Branch in Bengaluru. According to Bengaluru ASP Rajesh, Solanki had taken personal leave to travel to the shrine with friends to fulfill a religious vow.
"A very unfortunate incident has occurred... While they were on their way back, we suddenly received information that the helicopter had gone missing. After about half an hour, we learned that it had crashed," ASP Rajesh told ANI.
Solanki's father, Manohar Solanki from Belagavi district, arrived in Uttarakhand on Sunday to claim his son's remains.
Government Response and Support
Karnataka MP Shreshth Patel, whose relative was also among the victims, confirmed that the tragedy has shaken the families involved. Patel coordinated with Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who assured that the state government would handle the logistics of transporting the bodies. The Karnataka government has committed to airlifting the remains of four individuals back home along with their family members.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his deep sorrow over the accident, paying tribute to the departed souls and extending heartfelt condolences to the grieving families, praying for their strength during this irreparable loss.
Timeline of the Tragedy
The disaster unfolded on October 30, involving a helicopter operated by Trans Bharat Aviation. According to Chamoli Superintendent of Police (SP) Surjeet Singh Panwar, the sequence of events was as follows:
- Departure: The helicopter took off from the Badrinath civil helipad for the Sahastradhara helipad at approximately 1:12 PM.
- Loss of Contact: The radar transmission link was lost near Joshimath just two minutes later, at 1:14 PM.
- Search Operation: Two search teams comprising the Army, police, and SDRF were immediately deployed from Pandukeshwar and Joshimath.
The helicopter was carrying six people in total, including the pilot and five passengers, all of whom tragically lost their lives in the crash.