A helicopter crash at Kedarnath in Uttarakhand resulted in the deaths of seven people, including the pilot. The incident happened near Garud Chatti, which is around 2 kilometres from Kedarnath.

It departed from Guptkashi and travelled toward Kedarnath. From the Phata helipad in Guptkashi, the Aryan Aviation chopper took off and began its journey to Kedarnath. It was planned to travel 33 kilometres.

The helicopter reportedly caught fire above Garud Chatti. The fire's origin is unknown. An inquiry will shortly start, and rescue crews are already on the scene.

Located at high altitude, the weather in the Kedarnath pilgrimage area is often unpredictable. While the majority of pilgrims trek the arduous route from Guptkashi to Kedarnath, those who can afford to use various helicopter services go for it.

Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) sources said as per the preliminary information received, a Bell 407 helicopter VT-RPN belonging to a Delhi-based Non-Scheduled Operator's Permit (NSOP) holder, M/s Aryan Aviation, crashed on the way from Kedarnath to Guptkashi, possibly due to bad weather.