As Uttarakhand witnesses 5th chopper crash in 40 days, CM directs officials to prepare SOP for heli services

The recurrent air accidents in Uttarakhand has raised a grave concern among the authorities with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directing officials to prepare a standard operating procedure for helicopter services in the state. 

 

On Sunday, a helicopter crashed near Kedarnath temple, reportedly due to bad weather, killing all the seven people on board. The accident took place above the forests of Gaurikund and those killed included five pilgrims, the pilot and an employee of the Badrinath-Kedarnath temple committee.

 

The latest chopper crash is the fifth such incident in the last 40 days ever since the Kedarnath shrine opened on May 12, with a total of 13 people losing their lives.

 

The chief minister said a complete check of the technical condition of the helicopter should be made mandatory in the SOP. Weather status should also be checked before heli operations.

 

Dhami directed the chief secretary to form a committee of technical experts to prepare the SOP after thoroughly reviewing all technical and safety aspects of heli operations.

 

This committee will ensure that the operation of heli services is completely safe, transparent and as per the prescribed standards, according to an official statement said.

 

The committee will also investigate the previous heli accidents in the state. The committee will investigate the causes of each incident in depth and identify the guilty persons or institutions and recommend strict action against them.

 

According to officials, zero visibility caused by bad weather apparently led to the crash and added that rescue and relief teams have been dispatched to the spot.

India