A helicopter carrying Kedarnath pilgrims crashed after colliding with a hill in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district Tuesday morning, killing all seven people on board, including the pilot.
According to preliminary reports, the chopper, operated by Delhi-based Aryan Aviation Private Limited, was returning from Kedarnath when it crashed near Garud Chatti just minutes after taking off.
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Here’s a list of five infamous chopper crashes in India:
1) Moga air crash, May 2021
In the early hours of May 21, 2021, an Indian Air Force pilot was killed in a MiG-21 fighter jet crash at Langeana village in Punjab’s Moga district. The pilot has been identified as IAF MCC Squadron leader Abhinav Chaudhary, who was on night training at the time of the accident.
2) Mi-17V5 helicopter, December 2021
General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat were killed when a Mi-17V5 helicopter carrying them crashed in Tamil Nadu‘s Coonoor.
The tragic accident claimed the lives of 13 of the 14 people onboard. The helicopter took off from Sulur airbase on its way to Wellington in Coimbatore.
The Mi-17V5 transport helicopter is a modern transport helicopter used by the Indian Air Force. Personnel, cargo, and equipment can be carried inside the chopper’s cargo cabin or on an external sling. The helicopter can drop tactical air assault forces as well as reconnaissance teams.
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3) Kedarnath helicopter crash, April 2018
An Indian Air Force Mi-17 V5 helicopter crashed near Kedarnath while on a state government mission. The mishap occurred during the landing near the helipad. However, all four aircrew members and two ground crew members onboard survived the incident.
4) Sitapur helicopter crash, July 2014
Two IAF officers, at least, were killed when an ALH Dhruv helicopter belonging to the IAF crashed in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh. Following the pilot’s “may-day” (emergency) call, radar and radio communication were lost shortly. From Bareilly, the officials were taking a flight to Allahabad.
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5) Chittoor helicopter crash, September 2009
On September 3, 2009, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh at the time, perished in a Bell 430 helicopter crash while en route to a village in the Chittoor district. The crash that killed the then-chief minister of Andhra Pradesh was caused by the poor weather.
