Fifth crash in six weeks: Are low fares making Char Dham choppers risky?

Cheap tickets are forcing operators to fly too many trips, disregarding pilot fatigue, machine maintenance and risks from terrain and weather

Retd Air Vice Marshal
“Toddler among 7 killed as Kedarnath chopper crashes,” ran this paper’s headline yesterday, after the fifth such crash in six weeks. Relatives of the deceased will shed tears, but will tears move officialdom to prevent these recurring fatal accidents? There is a dire need to look at the culpability of business policies, commercial interests, talent shortage and govt indifference if we are to stop this loss of pilgrims.