India: Helicopter carrying 7 people crashes near Gaurikund in Uttarakhand
The incident took place at around 5:20 am when the chopper, with six passengers- five adults and one child and the pilot, which was going from Shri Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi, crashed near Gaurikund.
Inspector General (Garhwal Range) Rajiv Swaroop said that the site of the crash was a very remote area
Police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have rushed to the spot, he said.
According to UCADA, the passengers in the helicopter hail from Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami posted on X, "Very sad news has been received about a helicopter crash in Rudraprayag district. SDRF, local administration and other rescue teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations. I pray to Baba Kedar for the safety of all the travellers."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
a day ago
- Times of Oman
One pilot asked the other about fuel cutoff seconds before crash, says preliminary AI171 crash report
New Delhi: A preliminary investigation into the Air India flight AI171 crash has revealed that just seconds before the aircraft lost power and went down near Ahmedabad airport, one pilot asked the other why he had cut off fuel to the engines, an action the second pilot reportedly denied, saying, "did not do so." "In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cut off. The other pilot responded that he did not do so," the preliminary report on the Air India crash said. The report mentions that both engines of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner shut down one second apart shortly after takeoff. This caused the aircraft to lose altitude rapidly and crash near the boundary of Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Investigators have ruled out any bird strike or external damage, although the cause of the fuel cutoff remains under investigation. According to the report, "the aircraft achieved the maximum recorded airspeed of 180 knots IAS at about 08:08:42 UTC, and immediately thereafter, the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from 'RUN' to 'CUTOFF' position one after another with a time gap of one second. The Engine N1 and N2 began to decrease from their take-off values as the fuel supply to the engines was cut off." CCTV footage from the airport showed the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deploying shortly after takeoff, indicating that power was lost early in the flight. "The CCTV footage obtained from the airport showed the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) getting deployed during the initial climb immediately after lift-off. No significant bird activity is observed in the vicinity of the flight path. The aircraft started to lose altitude before crossing the airport perimeter wall," the report added. Further, the report said that data downloaded from the forward Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) is being analysed in detail. The report also stated that no immediate safety actions have been recommended for B787-8 aircraft or the GE GEnx-1B engines at this stage. However, investigators will continue to review more evidence, records, and information from relevant stakeholders. Meanwhile, a 2018 safety warning from the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding a possible flaw in Boeing's fuel control switches has resurfaced as part of the investigation. The FAA had earlier warned that the locking feature on these switches, which prevents accidental engine shutdown, could become disengaged. However, it did not mandate corrective action. "The FAA issued Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) No. NM-18-33 on December 17, 2018, regarding the potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature. This SAIB was issued based on reports from operators of Model 737 aeroplanes that the fuel control switches were installed with the locking feature disengaged. The airworthiness concern was not considered an unsafe condition that would warrant an airworthiness directive (AD) by the FAA," the report states. "The fuel control switch design, including the locking feature, is similar on various Boeing airplane models, including part number 4TL837-3D, which is fitted in B787-8 aircraft VT-ANB. As per the information from Air India, the suggested inspections were not carried out as the SAIB was advisory and not mandatory. The scrutiny of maintenance records revealed that the throttle control module was replaced on VT-ANB in 2019 and 2023. However, the reason for the replacement was not linked to the fuel control switch. There has been no defect reported pertaining to the fuel control switch since 2023 on VT-ANB," it added. On 12 June this year, the London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad. The aircraft struck a hostel building at BJ Medical College, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. Among the victims was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. The incident is among India's deadliest aviation disasters in recent times.
Times of Oman
a day ago
- Times of Oman
Air India crash linked to sudden fuel switch shutdown
New Delhi: India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released the preliminary report into the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12. The crash killed 260 people, including 229 passengers, 12 crew members, and 19 people on the ground. The report outlines a harrowing sequence of events that unfolded within 90 seconds of takeoff, as both engines of the aircraft shut down unexpectedly during the initial climb, leading to a catastrophic loss of thrust and rapid descent. Flight data recovered from the aircraft's Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) revealed that the fuel cutoff switches for both engines were inadvertently moved from RUN to CUTOFF, one after another within a 1-second interval, at an altitude just moments after liftoff. One pilot was heard asking the other, "Why did you cut off?" to which the response was, "I did not." This uncommanded shutdown triggered the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), and the aircraft began losing altitude almost immediately, unable to sustain powered flight. According to the AAIB, the pilots re-engaged the fuel switches in an attempt to relight both engines. Engine 1 showed signs of recovering thrust, but Engine 2 failed to stabilise. The aircraft, which had briefly reached a speed of 180 knots, was already descending and failed to regain altitude. The final distress call -- a "MAYDAY" -- was transmitted at 08:09 UTC, just seconds before the aircraft crashed into residential buildings outside the airport perimeter. The aircraft struck several buildings, including the BJ Medical College hostel, causing significant structural and fire damage across five structures. The Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) did not activate, and emergency services were mobilized within five minutes of the crash. The wreckage trail extended over 1,000 feet, with major components including the vertical stabilizer, engines, and landing gear found embedded in buildings and scattered across the crash site. The aircraft, registered VT-ANB, was delivered in 2013 and had recently undergone routine maintenance. All Airworthiness Directives had been complied with, and the fuel quality was confirmed to be within specifications. There were no reported technical defects linked to the engines or flight control systems immediately prior to the accident. The pilot-in-command, a 56-year-old with over 15,000 flying hours, and the co-pilot, 32, with over 3,400 hours, were both fully qualified and had no recent duty irregularities or medical issues reported. A Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) issued by the FAA in 2018 had warned of a potential issue involving the fuel control switch locking mechanism on similar Boeing aircraft. However, the bulletin was advisory, not mandatory, and Air India had not performed the recommended inspections. The report notes that while the locking feature may have been disengaged, there had been no prior defect reports related to the switch on this aircraft. The AAIB team, in coordination with investigators from the NTSB (USA), Boeing, GE, FAA, and safety agencies from the UK, Portugal, and Canada (whose citizens were among the victims), is continuing detailed analysis of cockpit recordings, engine components, maintenance records, and pilot actions. The agency has not issued any immediate safety recommendations, but further assessments are underway, especially regarding design safeguards for fuel control systems and possible human factors. At this stage of the investigation, the report reads "there are no recommended actions to B787-8 and/or GE GEnx-1B engine operators and manufacturers." Investigation is continuing and the investigation team will review and examine additional evidence, records and information that is being sought from the stakeholders. The final report is expected in the coming months. Flight AI171 was a scheduled service from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, carrying 230 passengers and crew. The crash represents one of the deadliest aviation accidents in India in recent history.
Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Times of Oman
Indian Coast Guard rescues two US nationals stranded at sea near Nicobar Islands
Port Blair: The Indian Coast Guard rescued two United States nationals stranded about 53 miles south of the Nicobar Islands, officials said on Friday. ICG Ship Rajveer carried out the rescue operation after the US consulate in Chennai sent a distress message about the stranded US-flagged sailing vessel. The Indian patrol vessel navigated through rough sea conditions to rescue the US nationals. "The Indian Coast Guard saved two US nationals stranded in a distressed yacht, a US-flagged sailing vessel, Sea Angel, about 53 miles south of the Nicobar Islands. On receipt of a distress message via the US Consulate at Chennai, ICG Ship Rajveer was deployed & responded to the distress situation, navigating through rough sea conditions," ICG said. Last Month, Indian Coast Guard (ICG) successfully rescued three Sri Lankan nationals who had been abandoned on a sandbar near Adam's Bridge, off the coast of Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu. According to the Coastal Security Group Police, the trio had set off from Sri Lanka in an unidentified boat, which dropped them off on the sandbar located in Indian waters. "Three Sri Lankans who had set off from Sri Lanka to Dhanushkodi (Tamil Nadu) in an unidentified boat were dropped off at a sandbar by Adam's Bridge near Dhanushkodi. The Indian Coast Guard rescued them, brought them to Dhanushkodi and handed them over to the Coastal Security Group Police. An investigation is underway," said the Coastal Security Group Police in a statement.
