DEHRADUN: A helicopter carrying six people, including five passengers and a pilot, went missing near Joshimath in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district while flying from Badrinath to Dehradun.Six people are feared dead, though the search operation to locate the aircraft is under way.The helicopter, reportedly operated by a company named Charlie X-Ray, lost contact near Hathi Parvat, also known as Hathi Pahad, close to Joshimath.The district administration has deployed an aerial search team in another helicopter to trace the missing aircraft.The search is being conducted amid adverse weather conditions, with rainfall and snowfall reported across several parts of Uttarakhand.The incident comes as the state experiences a spell of cold and wet weather. Kedarnath Dham witnessed the season’s first heavy snowfall after continuous snowfall since Thursday (October 29). The surrounding hills were covered in snow, while temperatures in the region dropped.
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Rain and snowfall continue across UttarakhandDr CS Tomar, director of the Meteorological Centre in Dehradun, said rainfall was expected to continue over the next few days, particularly in the hilly districts, with light to moderate showers likely at several places.Speaking to ANI, Tomar said heavy rainfall was recorded at eight to nine places across the state on October 29, particularly in Uttarkashi, Tehri and Haridwar districts.
A helicopter belonging to Trans Bharat Aviation departed from Badrinath for the Sahastradhara heliport at 1:14 PM. We have been unable to trace the helicopter’s location since it was passing through the vicinity of the Joshimath valley. Upon receiving this information, we mobilised the Chamoli district administration, the SDRF (State Disaster Response Force), and an Army unit to the area near the incident site to prepare for a proper rescue operation. As a precautionary measure, the entire fleet of helicopters belonging to Trans Bharat Aviation has been grounded…According to initial information, there were 6 people on board—the pilot plus 5 others. We will share further details once we have confirmation
Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), Prateek Jain
He added that similar weather conditions were expected on Friday, with a higher likelihood of rainfall in the Kumaon region.“Tomorrow, on the 31st, chances of light to very light rain will persist, especially in the hilly districts. Similarly, on the 1st and 2nd (of November), light to very light rain may be witnessed at isolated places, particularly in our northern hilly districts,” he said.In view of the forecast, district administrations have been placed on alert to ensure the safety of pilgrims and commuters.On Thursday, district magistrate Prashant Arya directed the District Emergency Operations Centre (DEOC) to remain in alert mode to monitor weather conditions and oversee precautionary measures.Authorities are also monitoring road conditions and the Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines through live CCTV cameras.The administration has appealed to devotees and pilgrims to take precautions against the cold and follow advisories issued by the administration and police.