Dramatic Escape: Pilgrims Survive Helicopter's Emergency Landing in Rudraprayag

A helicopter transporting five pilgrims and a pilot made a dramatic emergency landing on a highway in Rudraprayag district, officials reported. The flight to Kedarnath was abruptly interrupted shortly after take-off due to a technical failure, forcing the helicopter down in a public roadway.

Authorities confirmed that the pilot suffered only minor injuries and was promptly taken to a hospital for further evaluation. Meanwhile, passengers on board emerged unscathed from the harrowing ordeal, which was artistically captured in several social media videos showing the aircraft perilously close to surrounding structures.

This incident, one of several recent emergencies affecting helicopter services to the holy sites, has raised safety concerns amid ongoing efforts to clear the blocked highway following the emergency manoeuvre. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has dispatched a team for onsite assessment, scrutinizing the cause of the control failure that led to the forced landing.

(With inputs from agencies.)