Probe on in 4 Char Dham chopper crashes: Minister

Four helicopter accidents have occurred during the Char Dham Yatra this year alone, raising serious safety concerns about pilgrimage-linked aerial operations in Uttarakhand’s treacherous terrain, said Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

"There were one accident each in 2022 and 2023 while there were no accidents in 2021 and 2024 during the Char Dham Yatra. However, this year till June, there have been four helicopter accidents,” the Minister said.

The minister further said all four accidents are under investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Referring to the May 8 tragedy that claimed six lives, the AAIB’s preliminary findings were chilling. The report noted that the “main rotor blade of the chopper struck an overhead fibre cable, before tumbling down the hillside and coming to rest against a tree.”

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), under pressure following the spate of incidents, has ramped up surveillance and ordered safety audits specific to the Char Dham Yatra routes.

"DGCA has also directed all stakeholders to ensure compliance with safety norms for the Char Dham Yatra focusing on access control, improving parking arrangements, regulating slot allocations, enhancing pilot training, and ensuring strict adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs),” the minister said.