Helicopter Bound for Badrinath Goes Missing Near Joshimath, Search Under Way

Current Summary

A helicopter carrying six people — five passengers and a pilot — crashed near Chaien (Chai) village close to Joshimath in Chamoli district on Friday afternoon, October 30, around 2:15-2:20 PM. The aircraft, operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, had departed Badrinath at around 1:14 PM for the Sahastradhara heliport in Dehradun and lost contact near Hathi Parvat, close to Joshimath, before the crash site was identified near the JP Power House area. Wreckage of the helicopter has since been located, and media reports citing officials say all six people aboard are feared dead, though this has not been officially confirmed. Trans Bharat Aviation has grounded its entire helicopter fleet as a precaution. District administration, police, SDRF, Army and ITBP teams are conducting search and rescue operations at the site. CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said he is personally monitoring the situation and has directed that any critically injured persons be airlifted immediately to higher-care medical facilities. Official confirmation of the number and condition of casualties is still awaited. The IMD had issued an orange alert for Chamoli on October 30, warning of thunderstorms, hail and gusty winds up to 40-50 kmph, with light rain and snowfall along the Badrinath-Joshimath sector.

What Changed

• 30 Oct, 10:12 am
  Wreckage of the missing helicopter has been located near Joshimath. Citing officials, reports say all six people aboard — the pilot and five passengers — are feared dead, though this has not been officially confirmed. The helicopter, operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, had departed Badrinath at 1:14 PM for the Sahastradhara heliport in Dehradun before losing contact in the Joshimath valley. The company has grounded its entire helicopter fleet as a precaution pending further details.
• 30 Oct, 10:12 am
  Additional reporting indicates the helicopter, operated by Trans Bharat Aviation, lost contact near Hathi Parvat (Hathi Pahad) close to Joshimath while flying from Badrinath to Dehradun, before the crash site was later identified near Chaien village. Meteorological Centre Dehradun director C.S. Tomar said rain and snow are expected to continue over the next few days in the hill districts, with Kedarnath recording its season's first heavy snowfall this week.
• 30 Oct, 10:12 am
  Chamoli District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar confirmed the crash site has been identified near Joshimath, with SDRF and other agency teams dispatched to the location to carry out search operations.
• 30 Oct, 10:01 am
  A second helicopter has been deployed to help locate the crashed aircraft near Joshimath, as search teams continue efforts and the condition of the six people on board remains unconfirmed.
• 30 Oct, 10:01 am
  The helicopter's operator has been identified as Trans Bharat Aviation. The aircraft was flying from Badrinath to Dehradun when it crashed into a hillside near the JP Power House in the Joshimath area around 2:20 PM. Army and ITBP teams have joined SDRF, police and the district administration in the search and rescue operation. Smoke was seen rising near Chaien village following the helicopter's disappearance. The condition of those on board remains unconfirmed.
• 30 Oct, 09:51 am
  CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has confirmed via social media that the helicopter has crashed near Chayee (Chaien) village close to Joshimath. A joint rescue operation involving the district administration, disaster management department and SDRF is under way, and Dhami has directed that seriously injured persons be airlifted to higher-care centres. The helicopter, reportedly operated by Charlie X-Ray, lost contact near Hathi Parvat around 2:15 PM after departing Badrinath amid snowfall. Reports remain inconsistent on the exact route, variously describing it as Badrinath-Dehradun, Badrinath-Joshimath or Badrinath-Phata. The fate and condition of the six people on board, including the pilot, remain unconfirmed.
• 30 Oct, 09:41 am
  Reports that rescue teams have rushed to the search area, while explicitly noting it is not yet confirmed whether the helicopter was returning from the Badrinath shrine.
• 30 Oct, 09:41 am
  Reports the helicopter crashed near Chaien village in Joshimath with six people aboard, and that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has ordered an emergency airlift and rescue response.
• 30 Oct, 09:41 am
  Reports the helicopter was flying from Badrinath to Phata and is suspected to have crashed near Joshimath, with six people aboard — this route account conflicts with other reports.
• 30 Oct, 09:41 am
  Confirms six people were aboard the missing helicopter and that it was reported as Badrinath-bound, consistent with initial accounts.
• 30 Oct, 09:20 am
  A separate report describes the missing helicopter as having been on its way back from Badrinath, rather than heading toward it as initially reported. The direction of travel has not been confirmed, and search operations involving two other helicopters continue in poor weather conditions near Joshimath.
• 30 Oct, 09:10 am
  Signal detected: Helicopter Bound for Badrinath Goes Missing Near Joshimath, Search Under Way