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Dehradun, October 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday ordered a detailed investigation into the helicopter crash near Chai village, close to Joshimath, which claimed the lives of all six people on board, including the pilot. He also assured the bereaved families of all possible assistance.
The helicopter was traveling from Badrinath to Sahastradhara when it crashed at around 2 pm on Friday, officials said.
Expressing grief over the tragedy and praying for peace for the departed souls, Dhami conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and directed officials to extend all possible assistance to them.
The Chief Minister instructed the concerned authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the causes of the accident, emphasizing that every aspect of the crash must be examined thoroughly and with the utmost seriousness.
He also directed the district administration to ensure that all necessary relief measures and support are provided to the families of the victims without delay.
Joint teams of the Uttarakhand Police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Army recovered the bodies of all six victims, including the pilot, from the crash site after launching rescue and recovery operations.
Officials said efforts were underway to transport the bodies from the difficult-to-access crash site to a location connected by road.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) said the bodies were being taken to Joshimath for post-mortem examinations.
“The Karnataka Chief Minister's Office, Relief Commissioner and Resident Commissioner's Office at Karnataka Bhavan are coordinating with the Uttarakhand authorities to facilitate the transportation of the mortal remains to Karnataka at the earliest. The state government has assured all possible assistance to the families of the deceased,” an official statement said.
Police identified the pilot as Captain Himanshu Sabharwal, who hailed from Delhi. The five passengers were identified as Pratap, Arun, Shankar Gowda, Sudheer K. and HS Natraja, all from Karnataka.
According to official information, Shankar Gowda was an advocate, while HS Nataraj ran a poultry business in Huliyurdurga, Karnataka. Another victim, Pratap, was a businessman from Hassan district in the state.
Officials confirmed that there were no women or children on board the helicopter.
Earlier, Chamoli Superintendent of Police Surjeet Singh Panwar said the helicopter belonged to Trans Bharat Aviation and had departed from the Badrinath Civil Helipad for the Sahastradhara Helipad.
“One helicopter belonging to 'Trans Bharat Aviation' took off from the Badrinath Civil Helipad for the Sahastradhara Helipad at around 1.12 pm At around 1.14 pm, contact with the aircraft was lost near Joshimath,” Panwar said.
He added, “Local personnel stationed in the nearby area reported that the helicopter was seen heading into a valley below while flying at a considerable height.”