Uttarakhand chopper crash: 6 feared dead; helicopter operated by company 'Charlie X-Ray', wreckage found

A helicopter operated by Trans Bharat Aviation Pvt Ltd crashed into a hillside near Chai village in Joshimath, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, around 2.20 pm, while traveling from Badrinath to Dehradun. Local authorities and emergency teams were dispatched to the site, including police, SDRF, the Army, and ITBP.

The wreckage was located near the JP Power House, and all six people on board were reported dead, according to Chamoli district officials. The aircraft was identified with the call sign VT-HCX and had five passengers plus a pilot on board.

UCADA confirmed the helicopter had taken off from Badrinath at about 1.14 pm for the Sahastradhara heliport in Dehradun before losing communication over the Joshimath valley. The six onboard have been officially listed as a pilot and five passengers.

Following the incident, Trans Bharat Aviation’s entire fleet was grounded as a precautionary measure, per UCADA. District authorities began a joint rescue operation, with SDRF teams and other agencies coordinating to recover the bodies and assist any potential casualties.

Weather conditions in Uttarakhand at the time were cited as adverse, with forecasts of rain and snowfall across several districts. Authorities were monitoring the situation and taking precautions for pilgrims and travelers, while continuing to oversee rescue efforts and assess the impact of the weather on safety operations.