Dhami Orders Airlift of Injured After Joshimath Chopper Crash
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered the immediate airlift of seriously injured people after a helicopter returning from Badrinath Dham crashed near Joshimath. The aircraft had six people on board, and a joint rescue operation is underway amid adverse weather.
The helicopter, registered as VT-HCX and operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, took off from Badrinath for Dehradun at 1:12 pm, according to information from the Chamoli administration. It went missing between Badrinath Dham and Joshimath.
It was last in contact with the army post on the hilltop behind Hathipahad, opposite Joshimath. No communication has been established since then. Reports of a crash have also come to light.
A medical team has been sent to the site. Rescue teams have faced difficulties due to poor weather. The district administration and the Army have launched a search operation.
In a post on X, Dhami said he had received the unfortunate news of the crash near Chai village in Joshimath. He said the district administration, the disaster management department and the SDRF were conducting the rescue jointly, and that he was personally keeping track of developments.
The Chief Minister directed that critically injured persons be airlifted urgently to a higher centre for better care. He prayed for the safety of all passengers.
About Badrinath Dham
Badrinath Dham, in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, is a highly revered temple of Lord Vishnu. It is one of the four key pilgrimage sites of the Char Dham and is also called Bhu-Vaikuntha, or the heaven of Vishnu on earth.
Mythology says Lord Vishnu performed penance here, and Goddess Lakshmi took the form of a badri tree to protect him from the weather. This is the origin of the name Badrinath.
The place is also considered the meditation site of the sages Nar and Narayan, avatars of Lord Vishnu. Heavy snowfall keeps the temple open only for about six months, from April-May to November. During winter, the idol is moved to Joshimath.