Bengaluru, Oct 31: The mortal remains of all six people, including the pilot, who lost their lives in a helicopter crash in Uttarakhand on Friday have been recovered, the Karnataka government confirmed in an official statement.
Representational Image
The civil helicopter, operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, was carrying five passengers from Karnataka along with the pilot when it crashed in the mountainous terrain of Hathi Parvat in Chamoli district at around 2 PM.
According to information received from the Uttarakhand State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), the helicopter was travelling from Badrinath to Dehradun when the accident occurred.
Following the incident, a massive search and rescue operation was launched involving personnel from the Indian Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), local police, the Health Department and district disaster management authorities.
The bodies of all six victims were subsequently recovered and are being transported to Joshimath for post-mortem examinations.
Karnataka Government Steps In to Assist Families
The Karnataka government has initiated coordination with the Uttarakhand administration to ensure the earliest possible transportation of the mortal remains to Karnataka.
The offices of the Karnataka Chief Minister and the State Relief Commissioner are in direct contact with their counterparts in Uttarakhand. The Resident Commissioner’s office at Karnataka Bhavan is also assisting in coordinating the arrangements.
The state government has assured all possible support and assistance to the bereaved families during this difficult time.
Helicopter Lost Radar Contact Minutes After Take-off
According to Chamoli Superintendent of Police Surjeet Singh Panwar, the Trans Bharat Aviation helicopter departed from the Badrinath civil helipad at approximately 1:12 PM on October 30, heading towards the Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun.
However, just two minutes after take-off, at around 1:14 PM, its radar communication link was lost near Joshimath.
After receiving information about the missing aircraft, two search teams comprising police personnel, SDRF members and Army personnel were dispatched from Pandukeshwar and Joshimath to trace the helicopter.
The aircraft was eventually located in the difficult mountainous terrain of the Hathi Parvat area, where all six occupants had died.
The tragic accident has left families mourning the loss of their loved ones, while authorities continue to coordinate the necessary formalities and arrangements for the return of the victims’ mortal remains.