A passenger helicopter operated by Trans Bharat Aviation crashed near the Hathi Parvat area in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Friday afternoon, October 30, 2026, killing all six people onboard, including five pilgrims and the pilot.
According to the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) and state police, the helicopter (Callsign: VT-HCX) took off from Badrinath at 1:14 PM bound for Sahastradhara in Dehradun. Amid snowfall and deteriorating visibility over the Joshimath valley, the aircraft lost radio contact and tracking signal at 1:14 PM. Shortly after, at approximately 2:20 PM, it crashed into a mountainside near the JP Power House by Marwari Bridge.
Read nextBinance Vows Full Reimbursement After Record $6.3 Billion Crypto Hack; $3 Billion Already RecoveredAll six victims have been confirmed dead and identified as Pratap, Arun, Shankar Gowda, Sudhir K, H S Nataraj, and pilot Captain Himanshu. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed he is closely monitoring the situation, while civil aviation authorities have grounded all Trans Bharat Aviation operations pending a safety review.
The tragedy highlights recurring aviation hazards along the Char Dham Yatra circuit (comprising Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri). Parliamentary records indicate that between 2020 and 2025, Uttarakhand accounted for 9 out of 12 major helicopter crashes in India, primarily triggered by rapid weather changes, low visibility, and mechanical malfunctions in mountainous terrain.
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Reported by International Desk • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
