Uttarakhand: In a heartbreaking incident in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district, a family of three from Maharashtra lost their lives in a helicopter crash near Gaurikund on Sunday morning (June 15). The victims, identified as Rajkumar Jaiswal, his wife Shraddha, and their two-year-old daughter Kashi, were returning from the Kedarnath shrine when the tragedy struck.
Their son, Vivaan, survived as he had reportedly stayed back with his grandfather in Pandharkawda.
The chopper, operated by Aryan Aviation, took off from Guptkashi at 5:10 am, landed at the Kedarnath helipad at 5:18 am, and crashed shortly after taking off again at 5:19 am. The crash occurred in a dense forest area between Gaurikund and Triyuginarayan, killing all seven people on board, including six pilgrims and the pilot. The victims hailed from multiple states, including Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.
Pilot Leaves Behind Newborn Twins
The pilot, Captain Rajveer Singh Chauhan, was a decorated ex-Army officer with over 15 years of flying experience. A resident of Shastri Nagar in Jaipur, Chauhan had recently become a father to twins just two months ago. His loss, deeply mourned by the aviation community and public alike, adds a personal tragedy to the broader calamity.
This marks at least the sixth helicopter crash on the Char Dham route within 40 days, raising serious concerns about safety. Bad weather is believed to be a key factor behind the crash.
CM Dhami Calls for SOP Overhaul
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed grief over the incident and has ordered urgent reforms in heli-service operations. “A strict SOP should be prepared for heli services. This must include technical inspections and weather assessments before every flight,” he said on X.
A committee of technical experts will now be formed to review all safety aspects and establish new operating protocols.
The tragedy comes after the devastating Air India Flight crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, which killed 241 of the 242 people aboard and reportedly at least 30 others on ground.
