Kedarnath: IAF's MI-17 drops civilian chopper being airlifted for repairs

A snag-hit helicopter being towed to Gauchar for repairs by an MI-17 chopper of the Indian Air Force crashed in the hills near Kedarnath on Saturday morning.

There were no casualties as the helicopter that crashed was unoccupied, Rudraprayag's District Tourism Officer Rahul Chaubey said.

The helicopter belonged to Crystal Aviation Pvt Ltd and had been lying in disuse since its emergency landing in Kedarnath on May 24 after developing a technical snag, he said.

In the May 24 emergency landing by the helicopter, all seven people on board, including pilgrims, escaped unhurt.

It was being taken to Gauchar for repairs on Saturday morning by an MI-17 helicopter which began to go off balance over Lincholi.

Sensing trouble, the pilot of the MI-17 dropped the snag-hit chopper at a vacant spot so that there was no human casualty, Chaubey said.

There was no passenger or luggage in the crashed helicopter.

A rescue team reached the spot as soon as information was received. The team is inspecting the situation, the official said.

Authorities have appealed to people not to spread any rumours about the helicopter crash. 

The Indian Air Force said that the chopper airlifting the damaged Kestrel civil helicopter had to 'jettison the load' due to flight safety reasons.

It said an inquiry has been ordered into the matter.

'An #IAF Mi-17 V5, while airlifting damaged Kestrel civil helicopter in Uttarakhand today, had to jettison the load due to flight safety reasons.

'The crew safely released the load over an unpopulated area, ensuring no damage to life or property. An enquiry has been ordered, #AviationSafety,' the IAF said in a post on X.