Rudraprayag: 

The helicopter belonging to Aryan Aviation, en route from Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi, crashed in the Gaurikund area due to inclement weather conditions. The incident occurred around 5:30 a.m., and seven people, including the pilot, were on board at the time of the crash. "According to the information received from locals, there is no possibility of anyone surviving," said Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey.

All the seven passengers on board a helicopter returning from Kedarnath shrine are feared dead after it crashed in the Gaurikund area of Rudraprayag district early Sunday morning, officials said. Rahul Chaubey, District Tourism Officer and Nodal Officer of helicopter services, said, "Preliminary details indicate that a helicopter belonging to Aryan Aviation was transporting passengers from Kedarnath Dham to the Guptkashi base when the weather in the valley suddenly deteriorated. The pilot attempted to navigate the helicopter out of the valley, but unfortunately, it crashed during the effort."

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over the accident. Taking seriously the recent helicopter accidents in the state, the CM has issued strict instructions regarding helicopter operations. He said that a strict SOP should be prepared for the operation of heli services in the state, in which a complete check of the technical condition of the helicopter and taking accurate weather information before the flight should be made mandatory.

Rescue and relief operations are currently underway, with teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) dispatched to the crash site. The helicopter crashed into a forested area above Gauri Mai Khark.

CM Dhami has directed the Chief Secretary to constitute a committee of technical experts, which will prepare the SOP after a thorough review of all the technical and safety aspects of heli operations. This committee will ensure that the operation of heli services is completely safe, transparent and as per the prescribed standards.

Names of passengers in the helicopter:

Shraddha Rajkumar Jaiswal (35 years), Maharashtra

Kashi (25 years), Maharashtra

Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal (41 years), Gujarat

Vikram BKTC Kedarnath Uttarakhand

Vinud Devi (66 years), Uttar Pradesh

Tushit Singh (19 years) Uttar Pradesh

Captain Rajveer Singh Chauhan (Pilot)

Officials said poor visibility and adverse weather played a key role in the crash.SDRF teams are now moving toward the spot to assist in recovery efforts. This tragic event follows a recent incident on June 7, when a helicopter bound for Kedarnath from Badasu helipad developed a technical fault mid-air. The helicopter, carrying five passengers, experienced a malfunction barely two meters above the ground.

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