Helicopter carrying pilgrims crashes near Joshimath in Uttarakhand

A helicopter carrying six people, including five pilgrims, has crashed near a village close to Joshimath in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. Rescue teams have been sent to the mountainous area as officials try to determine the condition of those on board. The aircraft had reportedly taken off from Badrinath before losing contact on Friday afternoon.

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Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said a joint rescue operation was under way involving the district administration, the disaster management department and the State Disaster Response Force. He said he was monitoring the incident closely and had ordered that anyone seriously injured be airlifted for treatment. The cause of the crash has not yet been established, and officials have not confirmed whether there are survivors.

The crash happened amid heavy rain and poor visibility in the region, with the weather department issuing an orange alert for thunderstorms, hail and strong winds. The area around Joshimath and Chamoli district lies in the Himalayan foothills, where steep terrain and changing weather can complicate search and rescue work. That has made the immediate response more difficult, especially as crews work in a mountainous zone with limited access.

The incident is the latest to raise concerns about helicopter safety on pilgrimage routes in Uttarakhand. Helicopter services are widely used by pilgrims seeking to avoid long and difficult mountain journeys to sacred sites such as Badrinath. But the route has seen a series of accidents in recent years, prompting closer scrutiny of operations and safety checks.

Uttarakhand is home to some of Hinduism's holiest shrines and attracts millions of pilgrims each year. Badrinath is one of the four sacred sites on the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit, alongside Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. Many devotees travel through steep Himalayan valleys to reach these temples, which are open only part of the year because of harsh winter conditions.

The immediate priority is to locate the helicopter and confirm the fate of the passengers and crew. It is not yet clear what caused the aircraft to go down, and officials have not released details on injuries or fatalities. Further updates are likely to depend on weather conditions and the progress of the rescue operation in the coming hours.

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