A helicopter carrying six people, including the pilot, has gone missing along the pilgrimage route between Joshimath and Badrinath in India's northern Himalayan state of Uttarakhand.
According to a report by Indian news channel NDTV on Friday, October 30, 2026, the helicopter took off from Badrinath at 2:15 PM local time before disappearing from radar near the rugged Hathi Parvat (Elephant Mountain) area in Chamoli district. Heavy snowfall and adverse weather conditions were reported in the region at the time of the disappearance.
Read nextHelicopter Carrying 6 Crashes Near Joshimath, Confirms Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh DhamiImmediately following the loss of contact, the Indian Army, state disaster response teams, local police, and medical personnel launched a joint search and rescue operation. State official Chandrashekhar Vishwanath confirmed the gravity of the situation, stating, "Yes, there is a possibility of a crash. The army, our state rescue team, police, and health department teams are heading toward the location. I am also rushing to the site." Authorities remain deeply concerned, recalling a similar tragic helicopter crash in June 2025 along the Kedarnath-Guptkashi route that resulted in seven fatalities.
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Reported by Staff Reporter • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
