A helicopter ferrying Char Dham pilgrims made an emergency landing in a field in Uttarakhand’s Tehri Garhwal district on Wednesday morning after colliding with a high-tension power line, officials said. This incident marks the first chopper-related occurrence during this year’s Char Dham yatra.
Incident Details
The helicopter, operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, was flying from Badrinath to Dehradun when the incident occurred near Semalgaon in Dhanaulti tehsil around 9 am. Officials reported that the chopper struck a 33 KV electricity line mid-flight, compelling the pilot to execute an emergency landing in a nearby agricultural field. There were seven people onboard, including the pilot and Char Dham pilgrims. Authorities confirmed that all passengers escaped unharmed, with no injuries reported.
Response and Investigation
According to officials, the passengers were later transported to Dehradun by taxi, while the pilot remained at the site as aviation and technical teams commenced inspection of the aircraft. Tehri Garhwal SSP Shweta Choubey stated that a police team from the nearby Kumalda police post rushed to the spot immediately upon receiving information about the incident. “All the passengers were safe. The chopper luckily landed safely in a field,” she said.
District officials noted that a technical team from the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) also arrived at the site to investigate the incident and assess any damage to the helicopter. Officials added that the pilot’s timely response helped avert a major accident.
About the Author
Gaurav Talwar is a journalist reporting on natural disasters in the Himalayas with a keen interest in politics, especially during election season.
