While taking off for Kedarnath from Badasu helipad in Kedarghati, the helicopter developed a technical fault and the pilot made an emergency landing on the Rudraprayag-Gaurikund highway. During this, the pilot suffered a back injury. All five passengers on board the helicopter are safe. The pilot was admitted to a nearby hospital, where he was referred to a higher center after first aid.
On Saturday at 1:02 pm, a helicopter took off for Kedarnath from Badasu helipad with five passengers. The helicopter was barely able to rise two meters above the helipad when some technical fault occurred, sensing which the pilot made an emergency landing on the Rudraprayag-Gaurikund highway just below the helipad. Due to which the tail of the helicopter got damaged and fell on a car parked on the road. Also, the front part of the shop was also damaged due to being hit by the wings of the helicopter. Fortunately, no vehicle or pedestrian was passing on the highway at that time.
On receiving the information, police, SDRF and ITBP personnel reached the spot and evacuated all the passengers safely. Pilot Ravindra Singh Sodhi (55) was immediately admitted to the nearby Swami Vivekanand Hospital Narayankoti due to back injury. Where doctors referred him to a higher center after first aid.
Kedarnath Yatra helicopter service nodal officer Rahul Chaubey said that the pilot made an emergency landing of the helicopter after a technical fault occurred during takeoff. The administration, police and rescue team are working to remove the helicopter from the road so that traffic can be resumed soon. During the emergency landing of the helicopter, a car parked on the road was also damaged. However, helicopter services for Kedarnath are running smoothly.