Uttarakhand Missing Helicopter: Army, SDRF Launch Massive Search Operation
A Trans Bharat Aviation helicopter with 6 people on board went missing over Joshimath valley. Army and SDRF are conducting search and rescue operations.
A high-stakes search and rescue operation is currently underway in the rugged terrains of Uttarakhand after a Uttarakhand missing helicopter, carrying six people, vanished while flying from Badrinath to Sahastradhara in Dehradun on Friday. The Indian Army, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Chamoli district administration have been mobilised to locate the aircraft and its passengers.
The Disappearance: What We Know
The aircraft, operated by Trans Bharat Aviation with the call sign VT-HCX, took off from Badrinath at approximately 1:14 PM. According to Prateek Jain, the Chief Executive Officer of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), the helicopter lost communication while passing through the Joshimath valley. Crucially, the aircraft's tracking system also stopped transmitting its location, leaving authorities unable to ascertain its exact coordinates for a significant period.
Panic and Precautionary Measures
In the wake of the disappearance, UCADA took immediate and drastic action. As a precautionary measure, the entire fleet of helicopters belonging to Trans Bharat Aviation Pvt. Ltd. has been grounded until further notice.
The people on board the missing aircraft have been identified as:
- Captain Himanshu (Pilot)
- Prathapa (Passenger)
- Arun (Passenger)
- Shankar Gowda (Passenger)
- Sudheer K (Passenger)
- HS Natraja (Passenger)
Clues from the Ground: Possible Crash Site
The search intensified following a report at 14:21 hours from the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Joshimath. Information suggested a possible crash landing had occurred above Chai village in the Joshimath area. Sub-Inspector Manohar Kanyal of the Joshimath Post stated that UCADA officials indicated the helicopter's last known location was near the Army Camp above the village.
Adding to the urgency, the Chamoli district administration reported that smoke was seen rising near Chai village shortly after the helicopter went missing. This sighting has focused the rescue efforts on that specific region.
Ongoing Rescue Efforts
To ensure no stone is left unturned, authorities have deployed a dual-layered search strategy:
- Ground Teams: Personnel from the district administration are combing the area around Chai village.
- Aerial Surveillance: Another helicopter has been deployed to conduct an aerial search to spot the wreckage or survivors from above.
While the reports of smoke and location pings are promising for the search teams, UCADA has stated that complete details regarding the crash or the status of the passengers are still awaited and will be shared once confirmed.