A tragic helicopter crash occurred near Gaurikund in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand on June 15, 2025, killing all seven people on board, including the pilot and a 23-month-old infant. The Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd helicopter, flying from Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi, crashed at 5:30 am soon after take-off due to poor visibility and adverse weather conditions, possibly due to a technical fault. The helicopter caught fire after the collision in the forest area between Gaurikund and Trijuginarayan in Kedarghati. This is the fifth incident involving a helicopter in the area since the Kedarnath shrine opened on May 2, 2025, and the deadliest of the current pilgrimage season.
Rescue operations are underway, with teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rushed to the remote crash site. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief and ordered a high-level committee to investigate, stressing on strict safety protocols for helicopter operations. In response, helicopter services for the Char Dham Yatra have been suspended until further notice. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will investigate the incident, focusing on technical and meteorological factors. Alternative travel options for pilgrims include trekking from Gaurikund to Kedarnath (a 16-18 km route) or a road trip via Sonprayag, which can be reached by taxi or bus from Dehradun’s Jolly Grant airport. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has stepped up surveillance, including live monitoring and audits, following a number of recent incidents.