AAIB To Probe Uttarakhand Helicopter Crash That Killed 6, Flags 8 Accidents In Char Dham Sector Between 2015 And 2025

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will probe the helicopter crash in Uttarakhand that killed six people, including the pilot, on Friday, a senior official said.

The helicopter, operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, crashed into a hillside in Joshimath around an hour after taking off from Badrinath. It was on its way to Dehradun when the accident occurred.

The senior official told PTI that an AAIB team had already left for the crash site to investigate the incident.

AAIB Team Leaves For Crash Site

Badrinath is one of the four shrines that make up Uttarakhand's Char Dham pilgrimage circuit. The other three are Yamunotri, Gangotri and Kedarnath.

The crash comes amid concerns over helicopter safety in the Char Dham sector. In an accident investigation report released earlier this month, the AAIB said eight helicopter accidents were reported in the sector between 2015 and 2025, with most attributed to flight crews' failure to follow standard operating procedures.

8 Helicopter Accidents Reported In Char Dham Sector

An AAIB analysis recorded nine occurrences in the Char Dham sector during the 10-year period, including eight accidents and one serious incident. It also found that at least one accident or serious incident had occurred every year from 2022 onwards.

"Out of these 8 accidents, 5 accidents were fatal. There was no accident in 2015 & 2016, as the Char Dham operations during that time were very limited.

"From the year 2017 to 2019, there were 2 accidents, out of which 1 was fatal. In the years 2020 & 2021, the operations were very limited owing to COVID-19 protocols and no accidents were reported during this period," the AAIB said in its final report on a helicopter crash in Uttarakhand in June last year that killed seven people.