Kolkata, June 15 (UNI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday expressed shock at yet another civilian tragedy in which a helicopter carrying seven people on board crashed near Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand early this morning
A report from Dehradun said a chopper crashed near the Kedarnath shrine in Uttarakhand early Sunday, claiming seven people on board, including six pilgrims and the pilot.
The helicopter had taken off from Kedarnath en route to Guptkashi around 5:30 am when it crashed shortly after takeoff. A child was among the six pilgrims in the ill-fated helicopter.
The report quoted Rudraprayag district disaster management officer Nandan Singh Rajwar that the mishap happened above the forests of Gaurikund amid poor visibility triggered by vagaries of weather in the forested region of Uttarakhand.
"Most distressingly, another civil aviation tragedy was reported this morning, this time from Uttarakhand, in the Kedarnath - Gaurikund - Guptakashi region.
7 people were on board in the helicopter, including a child and the pilot, and there has been a reported crash with the worst being feared by the media," Bengal CM said
"While we await the results of rescue and search operations, my prayers go out for each one on board," she said. UNI PC SSP