Maharashtra Family Tragedy: Couple, Toddler Killed in Kedarnath Helicopter Crash, Son Survives
Maharashtra Family Tragedy: Couple, Toddler Killed in Kedarnath Helicopter Crash, Son Survives
Yavatmal/Rudraprayag, June 15 – A family from Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district was among the seven victims who lost their lives in a tragic helicopter crash near the Kedarnath temple on Sunday morning. The deceased have been identified as Rajkumar Jaiswal, his wife Shraddha Jaiswal, and their two-year-old daughter Kashi Rajkumar Jaiswal, all residents of Wani town.
The couple’s son, Vivaan, survived the tragedy as he had stayed behind with his grandfather in Pandharkawda and did not join the Kedarnath pilgrimage.
Kedarnath Helicopter Crash: What Happened
The chopper, operated by Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd, took off from Kedarnath around 5:30 am en route to Guptkashi, but tragically crashed shortly after takeoff. The helicopter went down in a dense forest area called Gauri Mai Khark, approximately 5 km above Gaurikund, in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district.
Officials suspect that poor visibility due to adverse weather conditions was the primary cause of the crash. The helicopter reportedly caught fire upon impact, between Gaurikund and Trijuginarayan in the Kedarghati region.
All 7 On Board Killed, Rescue Teams Deployed
All seven people on board, including the pilot, died in the crash. District Disaster Management Officer Nandan Singh Rajwar confirmed the location of the crash site and said that rescue and relief teams were promptly sent to the area. District Tourism Development Officer Rahul Chaubey stated that search operations were initiated immediately after the chopper was reported missing.
Government to Frame SOP for Helicopter Services
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over the incident and announced the formation of a technical expert panel to draft a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for helicopter services in the state. The SOP will include mandatory technical inspections and real-time weather assessments before flight operations in the Himalayan region.
This incident is the latest in a series of aviation mishaps in Uttarakhand, including an emergency chopper landing on June 7 and a fatal crash in Uttarkashi last month. It also follows a major Air India crash in Ahmedabad that recently claimed 241 lives.
