Six feared dead in helicopter crash in Indian Himalayan state, media report

Six people were feared dead in a helicopter crash in the Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakhand on Friday, television channels reported, adding that bad weather was suspected to be the cause.

The helicopter was flying from Badrinath, a prominent pilgrimage destination for Hindus located in the mountains, to Dehradun city, carrying five passengers and a pilot, news agency ANI reported.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said his office had received information about a helicopter crashing near a village in the Joshimath area.

A joint rescue operation was being carried out by the district administration, disaster management teams and troops in the region, Dhami said in a post on X.

TV channels said that rescue teams had rushed to the site of the crash and fire and smoke were visible there.