By Kolawole Ojebisi
Barely three days after an India Air plane crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad and killed more than 270 people, tragedy has struck the South Asian nation again.
This is as a helicopter carrying seven passengers, the pilot included, crashed in the northern Indian state of Uttarakh.
The crash reportedly led to the death of all its occupants.
While giving the breakdown of the manifest, BBC reported that five passengers, one child, and one crew member were on board.
According to local media the helicopter identified as Aryan Aviation Bell 407 VT-BKA was en route from Kedarnath to Guptkashi, following a pilgrimage path through the Himalayan mountains.
While confirming the incident, the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation stressed that the ill-fated helicopter, apart from the pilot, had a two-year-old child among those who perished in it.
The civil aviation further added that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau will be investigating the crash.
The Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Department said,” At around 5:30 AM, we got the information that a helicopter, which was going from Shri Kedarnath Dham, could not be located.”
According to the State Disaster Response Force, local administration and other rescue teams have begun engaging in relief and rescue operations.
In its reaction to the development, the agency described the incident as “very sad news.”
