Toddler Among Seven Killed in Tragic Helicopter Crash in India

Seven people—including a toddler—lost their lives on Sunday when a helicopter carrying Hindu pilgrims crashed in the Himalayan region of India.

The helicopter was en route from the famous Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand when it suddenly went down. All six passengers and the pilot were killed in the crash, according to Nandan Singh Rajwar, a disaster response official.

“This is a very sad day,” said Uttarakhand’s Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, who confirmed that rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the remote crash site.

The Kedarnath temple, located at an altitude of 3,584 meters, draws thousands of pilgrims every summer. Due to the challenging terrain, many visitors opt for helicopter rides instead of trekking through the mountains. These services are popular, especially among elderly or wealthy pilgrims.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time tragedy has struck the area. Just last month, six people were killed in another helicopter accident while traveling to the same shrine.

This latest crash has added to the grief in India, which is still mourning the loss of at least 279 people from a major plane crash in Ahmedabad just days earlier.