Kedarnath Helicopter Crash: Authorities Suspend Pilots' Licenses, Establish Command Center
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): A tragic helicopter accident took place in Uttarakhand's Kedarnath area on Sunday morning in which Aryan Aviation's Bell 407 helicopter (registration number VT-BKA) crashed. There were five passengers, a child and a crew member on board the helicopter. According to information shared by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the helicopter took off from Aryan Helipad in Guptkashi at 05:10 am and landed at Shri Kedarnathji Helipad at 05:18 am. The helicopter then took off again for Guptkashi at 05:19 am, but crashed near Gaurikund between 05:30 and 05:45.
At present, it is believed that the helicopter continued flying despite bad weather and extremely cloudy conditions, causing it to fall victim to a 'controlled flight into terrain' situation. However, the real cause of the accident will be confirmed only after a detailed investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). As soon as the information about the accident was received, NDRF and SDRF teams reached the spot and started rescue work. The inaccessible mountainous terrain and bad weather are posing challenges in the relief work, but all the concerned agencies are working in coordination.
In view of the seriousness of the incident, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami called a high-level meeting at 11 am, which was attended by the Civil Aviation Secretary, DGCA officials and other senior administrative officials.
Several decisions have been taken after the meeting. First of all, all flights of Aryan Aviation under Chardham Yatra have been suspended with immediate effect. Apart from this, the licenses of the pilots of two helicopter flights (VT-TBC and VT-TBF) of Trans Bharat Aviation, which had flown in adverse weather, have been suspended for six months. Also, all charter and shuttle helicopter flights in the Kedarnath area on June 15 and 16 have been postponed as a precautionary measure.
Apart from this, the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) has been directed to conduct a meeting with all operators and pilots and conduct a complete review of the safety protocols for flights. UCADA has been asked to set up a command and control room, which will monitor real-time operations and take immediate action in case of any threat. Finally, the Civil Aviation Ministry has directed the DGCA to deploy officials related to security, flight and operations in the Kedarnath valley to ensure regular monitoring of flights.
The Civil Aviation Ministry has made it clear that aviation safety is not negotiable under any circumstances. All operators have been instructed to strictly follow meteorological and all other safety standards. The ministry has directed the DGCA to ensure full compliance of all rules and take strict action in case of any negligence.