This morning, a helicopter being transported from Kedarnath to Gauchar by an Indian Air Force MI-17 helicopter crashed near the Mandakini River in Lincholi. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident, which was recorded on camera.
The private helicopter was being airlifted to Gauchar airstrip for repairs. According to Rudraprayag district tourism officer Rahul Chaubey, the MI-17 began to lose balance due to the weight of the helicopter and strong winds. As a result, the pilot had to make an emergency drop near the Tharu camp.
The private helicopter had previously made an emergency landing near the Kedarnath helipad in May due to technical issues. It had been used for ferrying passengers to the Kedarnath temple before the accident.
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Since July 31, there has been a significant decrease in the number of pilgrims visiting Kedarnath due to severe rain damage to the trek route. Rain-induced landslides along the route from Gaurikund to Kedarnath stranded thousands, prompting a major rescue operation involving the Air Force’s Chinook and MI-17 helicopters, in addition to private choppers.
Despite the trek route being mostly closed in August, pilgrims continued to reach the temple via helicopter. The Chardham Yatra, which began on May 10 with the opening of Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri temples, saw more than 33 lakh pilgrims visiting the Himalayan temples so far this year.
