Helicopter on way to Kedarnath crashlands on highway, all 6 onboard safe

Five pilgrims and a pilot onboard a helicopter had a narrow escape when the aircraft on its way to Kedarnath made an emergency landing on the highway in Rudraprayag district on Saturday after developing a technical snag during take-off, officials said.

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The pilot sustained minor injuries and was rushed to a hospital, they said.

Videos on social media showed the Kestrel Aviation helicopter standing in the middle of the highway, dangerously close to populated buildings and with a parked car damaged by its tail rotor.

The helicopter had flown from Badasu base for Kedarnath when it made the emergency landing shortly after take-off on the main road just below the highway near Sirsi following a technical snag, the officials said.

Six people onboard the helicopter including the pilot had a close call.

People on the ground got scared as they saw the helicopter losing balance in the air and crashlanding on the road, eyewitnesses said.

Kedarnath heli service nodal officer Rahul Chaubey said the incident did not affect the heli shuttle service to the Himalayan temple.