Helicopter operations to Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand have resumed, but tourists have been advised to plan their travel in accordance with weather conditions, CEO of Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority Sonika said on Monday.
Sonika stated that while flying had not yet fully resumed in the region, they would resume once weather conditions improve. She urged pilgrims to remain alert and plan their journeys accordingly, keeping safety as the top priority.
"Heli operations have resumed today. As the weather is not favourable currently, flying has not resumed yet. But as soon as we get clear weather, flying will resume", Sonika added.
Seven people, including the pilot, lost their lives after a helicopter crashed near a forested area in Gaurikund, Rudraprayag district, on Sunday morning, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) confirmed. The Aryan Aviation helicopter was en route from Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi when it went down around 5:30 am.
Among the deceased were Captain Rajbir Singh Chauhan (39), a resident of Jaipur; Vikram Rawat (47), a representative of the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee from Rasi; Vinod Devi (66) and Trishti Singh (19), both from Uttar Pradesh; Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal (41) from Gujarat; and Shraddha Rajkumar Jaiswal along with her two-year-old child Kashi, both from Maharashtra.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a virtual high-level meeting with senior officials from the CM residence after the crash. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is investigating the crash, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stated.
The DGCA further said that, in light of the crash, the frequency of helicopter operations at Char Dham would be reduced as a precautionary measure. DGCA is also carrying out enhanced surveillance and operational reviews.
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