Watch: Helicopter tailspins, makes emergency landing in Kedarnath

Rudraprayag district magistrate Saurabh Gaharwar said that a helicopter took off from the Sirsi helipad for Kedarnath early on Friday.

A helicopter carrying seven people, including six pilgrims, made an emergency landing near Kedarnath in Uttarakhand due to a technical issue on Friday morning.

Helicopter carrying pilgrims makes emergency landing near Kedarnath due to technical issue. (X/@realkaypius)

All passengers, including the pilot, are safe, an official said, PTI reported.

Kedarnath helicopter emergency landing video here

CCTV footage of the incident has now surfaced, showing the helicopter trying to land on the helipad but failed. However, the pilot was able to land the copter just a few meters away from the helipad in an open field.

‘Pilot kept his cool and took a quick decision’

Rudraprayag district magistrate Saurabh Gaharwar said that a helicopter took off from the Sirsi helipad for Kedarnath early on Friday. Shortly after, it developed a technical issue in its rear motor, leading the pilot to make an emergency landing just a few meters from the Kedarnath helipad.

Gaharwar praised the pilot's quick thinking and calmness, which prevented a major accident. “The pilot kept his cool and took a quick decision, averting a major mishap,” he said.

All passengers were safe, and the pilgrims continued their journey to the temple. The incident happened around 7 am, and further investigations are ongoing, he added.

Huge rush of pilgrims for Chardham

There has been an unprecedented rush of devotees visiting the Himalayan temples during the yatra's initial days.

Uttarakhand chief secretary Radha Raturi urged Chardham pilgrims on Thursday to register for their visits to Kedarnath, Yamunotri, Badrinath, and Gangotri and follow their allotted dates to avoid problems. The pilgrimage started earlier this month when the shrines reopened after winter.

Opinion- Char dham pilgrimage needs to be better regulated

Due to a large number of devotees visiting the temples in the early days of the yatra, Raturi and other officials are repeatedly asking pilgrims to follow these steps to ensure a smooth journey for everyone.