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."
The KESTRAL Aircraft which was being taken underslung from #KedarNath to #Gauchar has been released midway on the river near Bhimballi#helicopter #India #BreakingNews #safefly #chardham pic.twitter.com/zDooyF7dY0
— Safe Fly Aviation (@AirCharterIndia) August 31, 2024
The incident, which occurred between Kedarnath and Gauchar, involved a malfunctioning helicopter from Kestral Aviation. Initial reports suggest that the helicopter fell due to a wire breakage during the lift. Fortunately, there were no casualties, and the crash did not result in any damage to populated areas, minimizing potential harm.
Authorities are currently investigating the incident to determine the exact cause of the malfunction and to prevent similar accidents in the future.
