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Five adults, one infant and one crew member were on board the Aryan Aviation's Bell 407 helicopter operating in the "Shri Kedarnath Ji - Aryan Helipad, Guptkashi" sector that crashed on Sunday, the Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement.
The helicopter took off from Guptkashi at 05:10 am and landed at Shri Kedarnath Ji Helipad at 05:18 am before departing again at 05:19 am for Guptkashi and is reported to have crashed near Gaurikund between 05:30 am to 05:45 am, the statement said. The ministry said that preliminary indications suggest that the probable cause of the crash may be Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT), with the helicopter reportedly airborne despite poor visibility and extensive clouding at the valley entry area. The exact cause will be determined through a detailed investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Rescue operations by NDRF and SDRF teams are currently underway at the crash site. Following the incident, a high-level meeting was convened by Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami at 11 am attended by senior officials of the Government of Uttarakhand, Secretary (Civil Aviation), DGCA, and associated teams. In the meeting immediate actions have been taken, which include suspending all operations of Aryan Aviation for the Char Dham Yatra with immediate effect. Two helicopters belonging to TransBharat Aviation --VT-TBC (PIC: Capt. Yogesh Grewal, CPL(H)-1453) and VT-TBF (PIC: Capt. Jitender Harjai, CPL(H)-1046)--were found to have been airborne under similar unsuitable weather conditions. Accordingly, the licenses of both pilots have been suspended for six months. All charter and shuttle helicopter operations in the region have also been suspended on June 15-16, 2025 as a safety precaution. The Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority has been directed to hold a comprehensive review with all operators and pilots before any resumption of services, to ensure full alignment with safety protocols. UCADA will also establish a dedicated Command-and-Control Room to monitor real-time operations and ensure immediate escalation of any risk indicators. Directorate General of Civil Aviation has been directed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, to immediately post officers from Airworthiness, Safety, and Operations to actively oversee all helicopter activity in the Kedarnath valley and rigorously review the functioning of the UCADA Command-and-Control Room. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has reiterated aviation safety is non-negotiable and that no operator should undertake flights in violation of weather-related and other protocols. The Ministry has issued strict instructions to DGCA to enforce all extant provisions with full authority and to ensure that discipline in flying operations is maintained at all costs, given the sanctity of human life. (ANI)
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