India is in mourning following two devastating air accidents that occurred just days apart, causing the deaths of nearly three hundred people. The latest tragic event took place yesterday, Sunday, June 15, when a helicopter carrying pilgrims crashed in the rugged mountains of the Himalayas, in the state of Uttarakhand, resulting in the deaths of all seven people on board, including a young girl.

According to reports from the local civil protection authorities and confirmed by several Indian news outlets, the aircraft, a Bell 407 bearing registration VT-BK operated by Aryan Aviation, had departed from the Hindu temple of Kedarnath, located at an altitude of 3,584 meters above sea level, bound for Guptkashi. The accident, which occurred between 5:30 and 5:45 a.m. local time, has been attributed to adverse weather conditions and poor visibility that drastically reduced the pilot’s ability to maneuver. The pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Rajveer Singh Chauhan, was also among the victims. 

Authorities immediately suspended all helicopter flights in the area, a highly popular service among devotees wishing to visit the Himalayan temples while avoiding long and arduous treks. Among the identified victims were a family of three from Maharashtra, two passengers from Uttar Pradesh, and a member of the temple committee.

This aviation disaster comes just days after another immense tragedy struck Indian civil aviation. On Thursday, June 12, an Air India airliner, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (flight AI171) destined for London with 242 people on board, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport, in Gujarat (see related AVIONEWS 1 and 2). The impact occurred in a residential area, striking a hostel of BJ Medical College and causing a total death toll of 279 victims, including 241 on board the aircraft and 38 on the ground. Remarkably, a single passenger, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, survived the crash. Rescue teams worked tirelessly for days to recover bodies and identify victims, a task complicated by the severe condition of the wreckage. Investigations into the causes of both accidents are ongoing, with particular focus on weather conditions in the helicopter case and potential technical failures or pilot errors in the airliner’s accident.

Regarding yesterday’s tragedy, Aryan Aviation and its executives face serious negligence charges. This implies that alongside the technical investigations conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), formal legal proceedings have been initiated which could lead to trial and significant criminal liabilities for those responsible within the helicopter operator, under applicable Indian laws.

The Indian civil aviation authorities have announced the commencement of strict review and safety procedures to prevent future tragedies. Below, a video by Times Now shows footage from the site of yesterday’s incident: