Dramatic scenes were witnessed in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district on Saturday as a private helicopter made an emergency in the middle of the road, with its tail crushing a car parked on the ground.
The incident took place in the Guptkashi area after the pilot witnessed a technical malfunction, prompting him to make an emergency landing, Uttarkhand ADG, law and order, V Murugeshan told ANI. All passengers aboard the chopper including the pilot were reported fine with no injuries inflicted.
The car on which the chopper's tail crashed into suffered damage but no one was inside it at the time of the accident. Visuals from the spot captured the chaos with medical and emergency personnel running towards the chopper to pull out the aboard.
Video:
The chopper was en route to Kedarnath Temple
Murugeshan added that the chopper belonged to Crestel Aviation Private Limited and was ferrying devotees to the Kedarnath Dham shrine from Sirsi. The malfunction led to a precautionary landing on the road instead of a helipad nearby.
"DGCA has been informed. The rest of the shuttle operations are going on normally as per schedule," he said.
Chopper accidents in Uttarakhand
On May 8, six people were killed and two others injured when a private helicopter crashed near the Bhagirathi River in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district. The chopper, operated by AeroTrans Services Private Limited, plunged into a 200 to 250-metre-deep gorge, according to the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
The helicopter had taken off from the Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun and was en route to the Kharsali helipad near the Yamunotri shrine.
The SDRF said four of the passengers were from Mumbai and two from Andhra Pradesh. The aircraft was being piloted by Captain Robin Singh.
Chopper services in Uttarakhand
Helicopter services in Uttarakhand play a vital role in facilitating pilgrimage to remote and high-altitude shrines such as Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. Operated by private and government-approved agencies, these services significantly reduce travel time and offer easier access for elderly and physically challenged devotees.
Choppers operate from helipads in Dehradun, Phata, Guptkashi and other key points during the Char Dham Yatra season. While they enhance connectivity and boost religious tourism, safety remains a concern due to challenging weather and terrain. Authorities enforce strict guidelines and coordinate with operators to ensure secure and efficient services for thousands of pilgrims annually.
