Kedarnath crash: CM Dhami orders strict SOP for helicopter services- What led to crash that killed 7

NEW DELHI: Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered for the preparation of strict SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for helicopter services in the state after a chopper crashed near Kedarnath shrine killing seven on Sunday morning.

Among the victims were five pilgrims, the helicopter pilot, and a staff member of the Badrinath-Kedarnath temple committee.The helicopter was carrying seven individuals, including pilot Rajveer Singh Chauhan. The passengers were identified as Shraddha Rajkumar Jaiswal (35) and her two-year-old child Kashi from Maharashtra, Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal (41) from Gujarat, Vikram Singh Rawat from Uttarakhand, and Vinood Devi (66) and Tushti Singh (19) from Uttar Pradesh.

What led to crash?

Preliminary investigations suggest that adverse weather conditions and zero visibility were the primary factors behind the crash. Officials also confirmed that the helicopter caught fire after crashing. District tourism development officer Rahul Chaubey said they received alerts about the missing aircraft shortly after take-off and launched a search operation immediately.According to Rudraprayag district disaster management officer Nandan Singh Rajwar, the chopper is believed to have flown into dense fog, drastically reducing pilot visibility and contributing to a loss of control.

The narrow, mountainous terrain of the Kedarghati region may have further limited room for maneuvering, increasing the risk in such low-visibility conditions. The aircraft, operated by Aryan Aviation Pvt Ltd, had taken off from Kedarnath around 5.30am and was headed for Guptkashi when it lost contact and crashed shortly after, near the forests above Gaurikund in a remote area known as Gauri Mai Khark.

Expert committee to be constituted to prepare SOP

Uttarakhand CM Dhami has directed the chief secretary to form a committee of technical experts to evaluate current protocols and draft the new safety framework.He has also ordered formulation of a strict Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to govern all heli services in the state. The proposed SOP will make it mandatory to conduct thorough technical inspections of helicopters and ensure real-time weather assessments before every flight. In addition, Dhami has directed a high-level committee --originally constituted to probe past helicopter crashes in Uttarakhand -- to investigate the recent Kedarnath incident thoroughly, along with earlier ones.

The committee will identify systemic lapses, pinpoint responsibility, and recommend strict action against any individuals or institutions found negligent.The state has witnessed two jet crashes in the past few days. A helicopter heading to Gangotri Dham crashed in Uttarkashi on May 8, killing six people. On June 7, another helicopter en route to Kedarnath made an emergency landing due to a technical fault; the pilot was injured, but all five pilgrims on board were safely rescued.The chopper crash comes just days after Air India flight bound for London crashed in Ahmedabad, claiming the lives of 241 passengers on board, along with several people on the ground.