In a dramatic moment captured on camera, a helicopter that had previously malfunctioned, and was being transported by an MI-17 chopper, came crashing down in Uttarakhand’s Kedarnath on Sunday morning.
In a visual shared, the crashed helicopter is seen dangling before it comes crashing down.
There is no report of any injury or loss of life.
According to Amar Ujala, the chopper was operated by a private company, and is the same helicopter that was involved in yet another incident that was caught on camera. On May 24, it had made an emergency landing near Kedarnath.
“On Saturday morning, the chopper was being airlifted by an MI-17 of the Indian Air Force to the Gauchar landing strip. However, due to the air pressure, as well as the smaller helicopter’s weight, the MI-17 began losing its balance. Near Tharu camp, the IAF pilot decided to air drop the coptor,” the newspaper quoted tourism officer Rahul Chaubey, as saying.
Chaubey added that the pilot released the chopper at a point in the valley where there was no human settlement.
“A rescue team was immediately rushed to the site. It is taking stock of the situation. We request people to refrain from spreading rumours regarding fatalities or injuries in the incident,” the tourism officer stated further.
In the May 24 incident, seven people, including six pilgrims, had a close shave after the helicopter tried to land at the helipad in Kedarnath, but failed due to a technical issue. However, thanks to quick thinking by the pilot, it made an emergency landing in an open field, only a few metres away from the helipad.
In recent months, the hill state has seen an unprecedented rush of devotees on account of the Char Dham Yatra. This year, the pilgrimage commenced on May 10.
