Six Killed in Private Helicopter Crash Near Joshimath in Uttarakhand

CHAMOLI: All six people on board a private helicopter operated by Trans Bharat Aviation Pvt. Ltd. died after the aircraft crashed into a hillside in the Joshimath area of Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, on Friday, October 30, 2026.

According to officials, the helicopter crashed approximately one hour after it took off from Badrinath en route to Dehradun. The incident took place near the JP Power House close to Marwari Bridge at around 2:20 PM.

Police have identified the deceased as Capt. Himanshu and five male passengers: Prathapa, Arun, Shankar Gowda, Sudheer K, and H S Natraja. All five passengers were reported to be from Bengaluru.

Chamoli Superintendent of Police Surjit Singh Panwar stated that the bodies of the victims have been located at the crash site, though recovery operations were ongoing. Wreckage of the aircraft was photographed lying on a hillside near Chai village.

Following the incident, response teams comprising the Chamoli administration, local police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), the Army, and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) were dispatched to the location to conduct relief and rescue operations.

"This is a deeply tragic incident that underscores the critical importance of rigorous safety protocols and operational oversight in the aviation sector, particularly in challenging geographical terrains like Uttarakhand. For companies operating in high-risk transport and logistics sectors, passenger safety, regular maintenance checks, and stringent adherence to regulatory standards must remain the topmost priority to prevent such unfortunate losses of life." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes