Teams deployed to recover the bodies of six people killed in a helicopter crash near Joshimath in Uttarakhand reached the wreckage site on Saturday, with a multi-agency operation underway to bring the remains to the nearest motorable road from the remote, mountainous terrain.
The teams trekked along difficult mountain paths from the direction of Pandukeshwar to reach the crash site in Chai village, where the bodies of the pilot and five pilgrims from Karnataka were found on Friday.
However, the high-altitude location and difficult terrain have made the recovery operation challenging. Officials said it could take several hours to transport the bodies to the nearest road, with alternative trekking routes from nearby high-altitude villages also being explored.
The Chamoli district administration said the operation began early on Saturday and was being carried out in coordination with all relevant rescue agencies. Authorities expect the bodies to reach Joshimath by Saturday evening, subject to terrain and weather conditions.
Personnel involved in the operation are also being advised to exercise caution amid adverse weather and the presence of wild animals in the area. The operation had been suspended on Friday due to darkness, the presence of wild bears and other animals, and the difficult terrain.
Teams from the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, district administration and Forest Department have been deployed at the site.
Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar said the administration was in constant coordination with the agencies involved in the rescue effort.
"The rescue teams are working with the utmost urgency. The administration’s objective is to safely recover the mortal remains of all six victims and transport them to Joshimath. To this end, the district administration is continuously monitoring the operation and providing all necessary support and resources," Kumar said.
Prateek Jain, CEO of the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), told PTI that although the bodies had been found, recovering them was difficult because of the terrain. The remains would be brought to the Chamoli district headquarters by road after being transported along a trekking route, and then taken to Dehradun following post-mortem examinations, he said.
Meanwhile, a team from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and officials of the Uttarakhand administration conducted an aerial survey of the crash site on Saturday. Sources said the team returned to Dehradun and would prepare an investigation report after a meeting there.
A team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is probing the crash, was also expected to visit the site on Saturday.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said orders had been issued for an investigation to establish the exact cause of the accident. He also expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
The privately operated helicopter, run by Trans Bharat Aviation, was carrying pilgrims from Badrinath to Dehradun when it crashed into a hillside near Joshimath on Friday afternoon amid overcast conditions. All six people on board, including the pilot and five pilgrims from Karnataka, died.
Asked whether the helicopter had been permitted to fly despite an India Meteorological Department (IMD) alert, Jain told PTI that an advisory had also been issued by the aviation authorities, but the matter was now part of the investigation.
(With inputs from PTI)