Dehradun: A helicopter crashed in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, on October 30, resulting in the deaths of six people, including the pilot. The helicopter was returning from Badrinath Dham carrying passengers to Sahastradhara in Dehradun. A team from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been sent to Dehradun to investigate the accident.
According to reports, Trans Bharat Aviation Private Limited’s helicopter VT-HCX took off from Badrinath Dham for Sahastradhara, Dehradun, on October 30 at 1:14 PM. Contact with the helicopter was lost while flying over the Joshimath valley. Upon receiving information, concerned departments—including the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA)—swung into action, and rescue operations were launched immediately.
During rescue operations, the wreckage of the helicopter was found on a hill above Chai village in Pandukeshwar, Jyotirmath tehsil area. Wreckage was scattered across the crash site, and the bodies of the victims were found in a burnt condition. This tragic accident claimed the lives of five passengers from Karnataka, along with Delhi-based pilot Captain Himanshu Sabharwal.
Victims of the Accident:
Pilot:
- Captain Himanshu Sabharwal (48 years), resident of Delhi.
Passengers:
- Pratap (41 years), resident of Karnataka.
- Arun Salunkhe (44 years), resident of Karnataka, CCB Inspector.
- V.B. Shankar Gowda (39 years), resident of Karnataka.
- Sudhir K. (50 years), resident of Karnataka.
- H.S. Nataraja (51 years), resident of Karnataka.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has dispatched a DGCA team to Dehradun to ascertain the causes of the accident. The team will investigate all aspects related to the crash.
Expressing deep grief over the accident, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has instructed officials to conduct a serious investigation into all aspects of the mishap. He has directed the Chamoli district administration to provide all possible assistance to the affected families and promptly ensure necessary relief and other arrangements. The Minister has expressed condolences to the bereaved family members.
