A defective helicopter, which was being air lifted from Kedarnath in Uttarakhand by another chopper, accidentally fell from mid-air as the towing rope snapped, earlier on Saturday.
The incident has occurred amid the ongoing Kedarnath yatra in the state, which has been affected by the heavy rain largely. Due to the incessant rains, the uphill trek on foot has remained largely suspended in August, while the pilgrims have been mostly arriving at the temple on helicopters.
The route to the temple is being frequently affected by landslides, which has left thousands of people stranded from Gaurikund to Kedarnath. The authorities have launched a massive rescue operation with the help of the Indian Air Force(IAF) and other private choppers.
IAF has ordered an enquiry into the incident: Indian Air Force(IAF) has ordered an enquiry into the incident saying, "while airlifting damaged Kestrel civil helicopter in Uttarakhand today, had to jettison the load due to flight safety reasons. The crew safely released the load over an unpopulated area, ensuring no damage to life or property."
