Helicopter carrying five pilgrims crashes near Joshimath amid poor visibility
A helicopter carrying six people, including five pilgrims, crashed near a village close to Joshimath in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. Rescue teams were sent to the mountainous area, but officials had not confirmed the condition of those on board or the cause of the crash.
The helicopter reportedly left Badrinath on Friday afternoon and lost contact amid heavy rain and poor visibility. India’s weather department had issued an orange alert warning of thunderstorms, hail and strong winds. The incident renews scrutiny of helicopter safety on the Char Dham pilgrimage route, where seven people died in crashes near Kedarnath in 2025 and 2022.
In short
- Six people were aboard, including five pilgrims.
- The helicopter lost contact after leaving Badrinath.
- Rescue teams were dispatched as weather warnings were in force.
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Originally published by BBC World as “Helicopter carrying six people crashes in northern Indian state”.