Helicopter Grounds on Highway After Mid-Air Glitch in Uttarakhand
TDT | Manama
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A helicopter ferrying pilgrims to the holy shrine of Kedarnath was forced to make an emergency landing on a highway in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district after developing a technical fault shortly after take-off on Saturday afternoon.
The chopper, operated by Kestrel Aviation, had just lifted off from the Badasu helipad base when it experienced a mid-air malfunction, prompting the pilot to land the aircraft near Sirsi, perilously close to buildings and vehicles.
There were six people onboard, including the pilot. While all passengers escaped without injuries, the pilot sustained minor injuries and was immediately taken to a nearby hospital, as confirmed by PTI.
Videos widely shared on social media show the helicopter grounded awkwardly beside a cluster of houses, with the tail rotor reportedly damaging a parked car during the landing.
District Tourism Development Officer and Heli Service Nodal Officer Rahul Chaubey stated that the incident occurred around 1 PM, attributing it to a technical snag during take-off. "Fortunately, no lives were lost, and the response from emergency services was swift," he added.
Despite the alarming event, authorities confirmed that heli shuttle services to Kedarnath remain operational and unaffected. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to safely remove the grounded aircraft from the highway and assess the mechanical failure.
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