Uttarakhand Helicopter Tragedy: Victims' Bodies to be Airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh
Recovery operations are underway in Joshimath to retrieve victims of the Trans Bharat Aviation helicopter crash for transport to AIIMS Rishikesh.
A massive recovery operation is currently underway in the rugged terrains of Joshimath following a tragic Uttarakhand helicopter crash victims incident. Authorities have confirmed that the mortal remains of those on board are being retrieved from the crash site and will be transported to AIIMS Rishikesh to be handed over to their grieving families.
The Recovery Mission in Joshimath
Prateek Jain, the CEO of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), revealed that the operation began on Saturday morning. Given the challenging geography of the region, rescue teams are working tirelessly to move the bodies from the crash site to the nearest roadhead via a difficult trekking route.
Once the remains reach the roadhead, they will be airlifted directly to AIIMS Rishikesh. The families of the victims are already arriving at the hospital to receive their loved ones.
Timeline of the Tragedy
The disaster unfolded on Friday, 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 at approximately 1:12 PM, bound for the Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun.
- Loss of Contact: Just two minutes later, at 1:14 PM, the aircraft's transmission link with the radar was lost near the Joshimath area.
- Search Operation: Following the disappearance, two specialized teams consisting of the Army, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local police were immediately deployed from Joshimath and Pandukeshwar to locate the missing craft.
Casualties and Official Response
The helicopter was carrying six people in total, including five passengers—pilgrims returning from Shri Badrinath Dham—and one pilot. All six are feared dead following the crash.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has expressed profound sorrow over the accident. In a statement, the Chief Minister paid tribute to the deceased and extended his heartfelt condolences to the families facing this irreparable loss. He prayed to Lord Badri Vishal for the peace of the departed souls and for the strength of the bereaved families to endure this tragedy.
"The operation has been underway since this morning to retrieve the bodies from the crash site and bring them to the roadhead via a trekking route. The mortal remains will be airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh," stated Prateek Jain, CEO of UCADA.