SEVEN people including a toddler have died after a helicopter carrying Hindu pilgrims from a shrine crashed in the Himalayas.
The horror accident in India’s northern state of Uttarakhand comes just three days after the deadly Air India disaster in Ahmedabad, which killed at least 279 people.
3
3
3
The chopper reportedly crashed within just minutes of taking off, during what was supposed to be a 10-minute flight.
The pilot and all six passengers were killed after the helicopter went down during their flight from Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand state, according to local authorities.
They were on their way to Guptkashi, a prominent Hindu pilgrimage site in the Himalayas.
All of the seven bodies were badly burned in the fire which raged on after the initial smash.
State chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said rescue teams had been sent to the scene following the “very sad news”.
The local tourism official said that the tragic crash was likely caused by bad weather conditions.
The chopper was operated by private helicopter service Aryan Aviation.
It descended and crashed in a forested area several miles from the Kedarnath pilgrimage route at around 5.30am local time.
Horrifying images showed smoke billowing up from the ruins of the crashed chopper.
Rescue teams worked together on the scene, in front of the burning pile of destroyed helicopter parts.
Tens of thousands of pilgrims visit Kedarnath every summer.
It is home to one of the four most sacred Hindu temple shrines.
Travelling by helicopter there is common due to the challenging mountainous terrain.
More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.
Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun
