Watch Video: Damaged Helicopter Slips from MI-17 During Recovery in Uttarakhand, Crashes Near Mandakini River
Uttarakhand: In a dramatic incident near Kedarnath Dham, a damaged helicopter, which was being transported for repairs, slipped from an MI-17 helicopter and crashed near the Mandakini River. The accident occurred during a recovery operation on Saturday when the helicopter was being airlifted to the Gauchar airstrip for repair.
A video of the incident, showing the helicopter falling from the MI-17 during the lift, has been circulating on social media. However, the authenticity of the video has not yet been confirmed.
District Tourism Officer Rahul Chaubey, speaking to ANI, explained, "The plan was to take the helicopter to Gauchar airstrip on Saturday, with the help of MI-17 aircraft, for repair. As soon as it covered a little distance, the MI-17 started losing balance due to the weight of the helicopter and wind, due to which the helicopter had to be dropped near Tharu camp."
Authorities are currently investigating the incident to determine the exact cause of the malfunction and to prevent similar accidents in the future.