Six killed in helicopter crash in Uttarakhand district; CM orders probe

The chopper, travelling from Yamunotri Dham, plunged into a 200-250 meter gorge. Rescue operations are underway.

Updated on: May 8, 2025, 12:29:53 IST

By Neeraj Santoshi

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Six people were killed and one person got injured after a helicopter in which they were travelling in crashed in the Gangani area of Uttarakhand on Thursday.

Relief and rescue operations are underway, with administration and emergency teams present at the crash site. (HT Photo)

The incident occurred around 8:50am, when a chopper operated by a private company, en route from Yamunotri Dham, plunged into a deep gorge.

Manoj Aswal, in charge Maneri police station said six passengers including the pilot have been killed in the crash while the one injured passenger is being air lifted for treatment to AIIMS Rishikesh.

“The helicopter, bearing registration number VT-OXF, was carrying seven individuals, including the pilot, identified as Captain Robin Singh, and six passengers. It was coming from Yamunotri Dham. Upon receiving the alert, teams from the State Disaster Response

Force (SDRF) and local police promptly reached the site and started search and rescue operation”, Aswal said.

He said that the helicopter was found in a gorge approximately 200 to 250 meters deep.

“SDRF personnel, alongside local police and other emergency units, are conducting search and rescue operations in the rugged terrain”, he added.

The deceased include four people from Mumbai and two from Andhra Pradesh.

CM orders probe

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered a probe into the incident.

Dhami expressed condolences over the deaths. He has directed the local administration to provide all possible assistance to the injured. He said teams of SDRF, and district administration are at the spot for relief and rescue work.

Helicopter services to Kedarnath were briefly halted after the helicopter crash, but later resumed.

(With inputs from Neha Tripathi)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

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