Helicopter Crash Near Gangotri During Char Dham Yatra: 5 Pilgrims Dead, 2 Injured

Uttarkashi, May 8 – A tragic helicopter crash occurred in Uttarkashi district on Thursday during the ongoing Char Dham Yatra, claiming the lives of five pilgrims and leaving two others seriously injured. The 7-seater helicopter, belonging to private aviation company Aryan Aviation, crashed near Gangotri.

Upon receiving the alert, local police and disaster management teams rushed to the crash site and immediately launched rescue operations.

Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand: A private helicopter en route to Gangotri crashed near Ganganani around 9 AM. Local residents and police reached the spot. Of the 5–6 passengers onboard, two are reported injured. Police, army, disaster response teams, and local officials have been… pic.twitter.com/ehIoBLkwVv

— IANS (@ians_india) May 8, 2025

Identities of Victims Confirmed

According to initial reports, the helicopter was carrying seven people, including the pilot and six passengers. The deceased include pilot Captain Robin Singh and four pilgrims. Two passengers sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving medical treatment.

The passengers have been identified as Vineet Gupta, Arvind Agrawal, Vipin Agrawal, Pinky Agrawal, Rashmi, and Kishore Jadhav. Among them, two were women.

Weather Conditions a Contributing Factor?

It is noteworthy that the weather in Uttarkashi has been unfavorable for the past few days. The Meteorological Department had issued an alert due to continuous bad weather and heavy rainfall in several parts of the Char Dham Yatra route. Authorities are investigating whether weather conditions played a role in the crash.