Helicopter crashes in Kedarnath while being airlifted by MI-17 chopper

PTC News Desk: This morning, a helicopter being airlifted from Kedarnath to Gauchar by an MI-17 chopper crashed after the towing rope snapped mid-air. The incident occurred near the Mandakini River in Lincholi. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the accident was captured on camera.

The helicopter, operated by a private company, was being transported for repairs at the Gauchar airstrip. According to an official statement, the MI-17 helicopter began losing balance due to the combined weight of the helicopter and strong winds. This instability forced the MI-17 to release the helicopter near Tharu camp.

The private helicopter had previously made an emergency landing near the Kedarnath helipad in May due to technical issues. It had been used to ferry passengers to the Kedarnath temple, but with a significant drop in pilgrim numbers since July 31, the trek route to the temple has been severely affected by heavy rains and landslides.

The landslides along the route from Gaurikund to Kedarnath had stranded thousands, prompting a large-scale rescue operation with assistance from the Air Force’s Chinook and MI-17 helicopters, as well as private choppers. Despite the disruption in the trekking route in August, pilgrims continued to reach the temple by helicopter.

The Char Dham Yatra for this year commenced on May 10 with the opening of Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri temples, and the Badrinath temple followed on May 12. To date, over 3.3 million pilgrims have visited these Himalayan temples.

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