• Seven fatalities confirmed from the helicopter crash in Uttarakhand, India.
• The helicopter was ferrying Hindu pilgrims between Kedarnath and Guptkashi.
• Bad weather is believed to have caused the accident shortly after takeoff.

In a tragic incident on Sunday, seven individuals, including a toddler, were killed when a helicopter crashed in Uttarakhand, India, while ferrying Hindu pilgrims from Kedarnath temple to Guptkashi, approximately 37 kilometers away. The helicopter went down shortly after takeoff, around 5:20 AM local time, in a remote area, potentially due to adverse weather conditions, as confirmed by several local officials, including disaster management expert Nandan Singh Rajwar, according to Channel News Asia and Dawn.

Officials identified the deceased individuals, including the pilot and six passengers from various states, whose bodies were reportedly burned in a fire that followed the crash. The incident raises concerns given its proximity to a recent significant aviation disaster that resulted in the deaths of at least 279 people from an Air India flight, according to reporting from TRTGlobal, South China Morning Post, and Reuters.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his sorrow over the tragedy and stated that rescue operations were initiated immediately, with teams from the local police and State Disaster Response Force assisting on site. He has also ordered an inquiry into the crash, highlighting a need for a review of safety procedures for helicopter flights in this mountainous region, as mentioned by BBC and Al Jazeera.

The Kedarnath shrine is a popular pilgrimage destination, attracting thousands of visitors each summer. Many opt for helicopter services to bypass the arduous trekking involved given the high-altitude and challenging terrain. However, recent weeks have seen multiple incidents involving helicopters in the region, raising serious safety concerns reiterated by the investigative reports from Newsweek and others that highlight this alarming trend.