Six dead after helicopter crashes in northern Indian state

ByZoya Mateen & Nikita Yadav BBC News, Delhi. 30 October 2026, 10: 07 GMT.

Key points

• Uttarakhand's Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami remarked the helicopter came down near a village close to Joshimath in Chamoli district.
• Badrinath is one of four sacred sites on the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit, alongside Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.
• In June 2025, seven individuals were killed when a helicopter carrying pilgrims crashed near Kedarnath.
• Uttarakhand, a Himalayan state which borders China and Nepal, is home to some of Hinduism's holiest shrines and attracts millions of pilgrims every year.
• A number of other helicopter accidents were noted during the 2025 pilgrimage season, prompting aviation authorities to tighten safety checks and restrict some operations.

Five pilgrims and a pilot have died after their helicopter crashed in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, authorities say.

Meanwhile, the aircraft reportedly took off from the Hindu pilgrimage site of Badrinath on Friday afternoon before losing contact.

Meanwhile, the cause of the crash is not yet known but there had been reports of heavy rain and poor visibility in the region.

Badrinath is one of four sacred sites on the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit, alongside Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. Plenty of devotees travel through steep Himalayan valleys to reach the temples. It are open for only part of the year as of harsh winter conditions.

In practice, the local civil aviation authority afterwards confirmed to Indian media that six bodies had been located.

Helicopter services have become increasingly popular among pilgrims seeking to avoid tough mountain journeys, but their safety has come under scrutiny after a series of accidents.

Before Friday's crash, India's weather department had issued an orange alert for the area, warning of thunderstorms, hail and solid winds.

In June 2025, seven individuals were killed when a helicopter carrying pilgrims crashed near Kedarnath. Another seven died in a crash on the same pilgrimage route in October 2022.

For context, a number of other helicopter accidents were noted during the 2025 pilgrimage season, prompting aviation authorities to tighten safety checks and restrict some operations.

Taken together, the developments around six dead after helicopter crashes in northern Indian state point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.