Six killed as Indian helicopter carrying pilgrims crashes 

New Delhi: In an unfortunate incident, at least six people, including pilot were killed after a helicopter bringing Hindu pilgrims from a popular temple site in the Indian Himalayas crashed Tuesday in foggy weather. 

Two pilots and four pilgrims died in the crash in the northern state of Uttarakhand, its police chief, Ashok Kumar, adding that a rescue team had been sent to the site. 

Footage shared online showed smoke billowing from a spot nestled in between some hills, surrounded by dark clouds. 

Aryan Aviation Bell-407 helicopter VT-RPN with 5-6 pax took off from Kedarnathji Dham for GuptKashi...
Cloudy weather over Garud Chatti, crashed in a valley there. Loud noise & chopper caught fire#Kedarnath #helicopter #crash pic.twitter.com/6gTDosLofD

— Bharat Verma 🇮🇳 (@Imbharatverma) October 18, 2022

The tragedy took place in Garud Chatti, located around two kilometres from Kedarnath—a key pilgrimage site that shuts every winter. 

The ill-fated Bell 407 helicopter (VT-RPN) aircraft took off from the Phata helipad. Reports said it caught fire and crashed. 

The cause of the fire was still not known. Rescue teams were on the spot.

However, India’s civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered a detailed probe into the incident.

The weather in the Kedarnath pilgrimage area is often unpredictable because of its high altitude.