Six people were feared dead in a helicopter crash in the Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakhand on Friday, television channels reported, adding that bad weather was suspected to be the cause.
The helicopter was flying from Badrinath, a prominent pilgrimage destination for Hindus located in the mountains, to Dehradun city, carrying five passengers and a pilot, news agency ANI reported.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said his office had received information about a helicopter crashing near a village in the Joshimath area.
A joint rescue operation was being carried out by the district administration, disaster management teams and troops in the region, Dhami said in a post on X.
TV channels said that rescue teams had rushed to the site of the crash and fire and smoke were visible there.
Sharing a vide of the crash site, a journalist wrote, “Looking at the footage, the chances of anyone surviving this helicopter crash near Chamoli seem almost impossible. My only question after watching so many videos is, how were flights allowed to continue in such terrible weather conditions?
Meanwhile, a local news agency reported that bodies of all six people, including the pilot, have been recovered following the helicopter crash.
It said that efforts were underway to transport the bodies from the inaccessible crash location.
