Helicopter carrying pilgrims makes emergency landing near Kedarnath after uncontrollable tail spin, no one hurt
A helicopter carrying pilgrims made an emergency landing near Kedarnath early on Friday due to a technical issue. An official told PTI that all passengers, including the pilot, were safe.
CCTV footage of the incident has surfaced, showing the helicopter attempting to land on the helipad but failing. However, the pilot was able to land the helicopter in an open field only a few meters from the helipad.
‘The pilot kept his cool and made a quick decision.’
According to Rudraprayag district magistrate Saurabh Gaharwar, a helicopter flew from the Sirsi helipad to Kedarnath early Friday. Shortly after, it developed a technical problem with its rear motor, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing only a few meters from the Kedarnath helipad.
Gaharwar praised the pilot’s quick thinking and calmness for avoiding a major accident. “The pilot kept his cool and took a quick decision, averting a major mishap,” said the pilot.
All passengers were safe, and the pilgrims resumed their journey to the temple. The incident occurred around 7 a.m., and further investigations are ongoing, he stated.
Huge rush of pilgrims to Chardham
During the first few days of the yatra, an unprecedented number of devotees visited the Himalayan temples.
On Thursday, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Radha Raturi urged Chardham pilgrims to register for their visits to Kedarnath, Yamunotri, Badrinath, and Gangotri and adhere to the allotted dates to avoid problems. The pilgrimage began earlier this month, when the shrines reopened after winter.
Due to the large number of devotees visiting the temples during the early days of the yatra, Raturi and other officials have repeatedly asked pilgrims to follow these steps to ensure a smooth journey for all.
