In brief
The aircraft, which departed from Badrinath amid snowfall, lost contact near the Hathi Parvat area and crashed close to Chayee village, triggering a joint rescue effort by local authorities. All six occupants are feared dead. The incident follows earlier tragic pilgrim crashes on the same route in 2025.
A helicopter carrying a pilot and five Hindu pilgrims crashed near Chayee village close to Joshimath in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, on Friday, October 30, 2026, according to a statement from the state’s chief minister. The helicopter had taken off from Badrinath, a major pilgrimage town, at 1:14 p.m. local time amid snowfall and lost contact near the Hathi Parvat area before it was found to have crashed. All six people on board are feared dead.
The state administration, disaster management department and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Uttarakhand have jointly launched a rescue operation. A second helicopter was deployed immediately for an aerial search of the crash site, where reports said smoke was seen rising from the area.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami posted a statement on social media announcing the incident and the coordinated rescue effort.
Rescue operations
The joint rescue initiative has involved the district administration and the SDRF. An aerial search has been conducted with an additional helicopter, and ground teams are working in the snow‑heavy terrain near the crash site to locate and recover bodies. The situation remains critical, with authorities fearing loss of life for all six occupants.
Historical context
Uttarakhand’s pilgrimage routes have seen similar tragedies in the past. In June 2025, a helicopter carrying pilgrims crashed near Kedarnath, killing seven people. Another crash on the same route in 2025 claimed the lives of another seven. These incidents highlight ongoing safety concerns for air transport in the region’s treacherous Himalayan terrain.
