SATV June 15, Kathmandu: Seven people were killed as the chopper flying them from the Kedarnath temple to Guptkashi in Uttarakhand crashed in a forest. The seven victims in the Aryan Aviation Helicopter crash included the pilot. During its 10-minute ride, the chopper crashed between Gaurikund and Sonprayag.

The incident occurred early morning, at 5:20, with seven people on board - six pilgrims (five adults and a child) and a pilot, according to a statement issued by the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA). The plilgrims were from Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Technical problems and weather reportedly led to the crash.

The crash was reported after locals, who were out to collect fodder for their cattle, spotted the missing helicopter. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are on the way to the crash site.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami shared the "distressing" news on X (formerly Twitter). "The extremely distressing news of a helicopter crash in Rudraprayag district has been received. SDRF, local administration, and other rescue teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations," he wrote.

This is the fifth accident since the portals of the Himalayan temple Kedarnath opened on May 2. Earlier, on June 7, a helicopter on its way to Kedarnath was forced to land on a highway in Uttarakhand after developing a technical snag during take-off. It came dangerously close to buildings, and its tail rotor fell on a parked car. The five pilgrims on board came out safely, while the pilot sustained minor injuries.