Joshimath, India: Six people, including the pilot, were killed after a helicopter crashed in the forested mountainous region near Chai village in Joshimath, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, on Friday, October 30, 2026. The helicopter was flying from Badrinath to the Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun with one pilot and five passengers when it crashed.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed the accident in a statement issued through the Press Information Bureau (PIB) at 9:11 PM on Friday. According to the ministry, the helicopter operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, departed from Badrinath helipad at 1:14 PM and was en route to Sahastradhara helipad when the accident occurred. The ministry identified the crash location as the forest area near Chai village in Joshimath. The Ministry of Civil Aviation did not specify whether the service was a charter, scheduled passenger service or pilgrimage flight.
Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) CEO Prateek Jain confirmed that all six occupants, including the pilot, had died. Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar also confirmed the fatalities. The deceased included pilot Captain Himanshu Sabharwal, a resident of Delhi, and five passengers from Karnataka: Arun Salunke, Prathapa Bachihally Ningaraju, Shankar Gowda VB, Sudheer K and H.S. Nataraju. Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge identified Arun Salunke as an inspector with the Bengaluru Police Central Crime Branch (CCB). The Karnataka government subsequently confirmed that the mortal remains of all six occupants had been recovered.
According to UCADA, the helicopter lost communication while flying over the Joshimath valley, after which its tracking system also stopped receiving location information. The authority stated, “The helicopter lost communication while it was flying over Joshimath valley. At the same time, the tracking system could no longer track the helicopter.” Chamoli Superintendent of Police Surjeet Singh Panwar said the aircraft’s radar transmission link was lost near Joshimath approximately two minutes after its departure from Badrinath.
Uttarakhand Secretary for Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Vinod Kumar Suman said the Chamoli District Disaster Management Officer informed the authorities at around 2 PM that a civilian helicopter had met with an accident. An Army Signal Centre team subsequently spotted smoke rising from the helicopter and observed it descending rapidly, prompting a coordinated search and rescue response.
The Chamoli district administration, Indian Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), police and health department personnel were mobilised to locate the aircraft and reach the crash site. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed the joint response, stating, “A joint rescue operation is being conducted by the district administration, disaster management department, and SDRF.” He added, “I myself am continuously monitoring the entire incident.”
The Karnataka government, citing information from the Uttarakhand State Emergency Operations Centre, confirmed that rescue teams recovered the mortal remains of all six occupants. The remains were being brought to Joshimath for post-mortem examinations. The Chief Minister’s Office and the Relief Commissioner of Karnataka coordinated with their Uttarakhand counterparts to facilitate the transportation of the deceased to Karnataka.
Following the accident, UCADA in coordination with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation grounded the entire helicopter fleet operated by Trans Bharat Aviation Pvt Ltd as a precautionary measure. The Ministry of Civil Aviation also confirmed that a team from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had been dispatched to Dehradun to conduct a preliminary and regulatory assessment of the accident.
The exact cause of the crash has not yet been established. Although adverse weather conditions, including rain and reduced visibility, were reported in the region, authorities have not confirmed whether they contributed to the accident. The circumstances leading to the loss of communication and the subsequent crash remain subject to further assessment.
