Uttarakhand authority probes unauthorized chopper flight
A Heritage Aviation helicopter went ahead with a flight to Kedarnath on Monday evening, ignoring bad weather warnings and revoked clearance.
The Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Authority had already suspended shuttle services and required special approval for flights due to rough conditions.
Now, officials have launched an investigation into why the rules were broken.
Another helicopter crashed in June, killing 7 people
This comes just weeks after a tragic crash near Gaurikund killed seven people—including a toddler—when another helicopter flew in poor visibility, breaking safety protocols.
It was the fifth chopper accident on the Char Dham route in six weeks, raising serious concerns about flight safety for pilgrims and locals who depend on these services.
Stricter flight rules were put in place in Uttarakhand
After June's crash, Aryan Aviation was grounded and stricter flight rules were put in place in Uttarakhand.
Uttarakhand has set up a committee to draft tougher guidelines for helicopter operations, with new recommendations expected by August 15 to help keep future flights safer.