Uttarakhand Chopper Tragedy: DGCA Sends Team for Preliminary Inquiry

New Delhi, October 30: Officials said on Friday that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has deployed a team to Dehradun for a preliminary and regulatory investigation into a helicopter crash that claimed lives near Joshimath.

The Civil Aviation Ministry said the helicopter, belonging to Transbharat Aviation Private Limited, crashed into a forest area close to Chai village.

The chopper had departed from the Badrinath helipad at 1:14 pm and was en route to the Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun. On board were one pilot and five passengers. Wreckage was spotted at the crash location, prompting a search and rescue operation.

Before this, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed a probe into the accident. He conveyed sympathy to the families of the deceased and asked officials to offer all possible help. He further urged the relevant authorities to carry out a detailed inquiry into the reasons behind the crash.

Dhami stressed that every dimension of the mishap must be investigated with seriousness. He also instructed the district administration to extend maximum assistance to the affected families and to initiate all necessary relief and support steps immediately.

Uttarakhand Police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Army jointly carried out relief and rescue work after the crash. According to officials, the bodies of all six people, including the pilot, have been recovered from the site.

Authorities are working to bring the bodies from the remote location to a spot accessible by road.

The DGCA team will now assess the causes of the crash, weather conditions, technical aspects and other facts related to flight operations.