Seven people, including a 23-month-old child and the pilot, were killed early Tuesday morning when a helicopter ferrying pilgrims from Kedarnath to Guptkashi crashed in a forested area between Gaurikund and Sonprayag in Uttarakhand.

The Aryan Aviation chopper, on a 10-minute return flight, lost control around 5:20 a.m. due to deteriorating weather. Despite the pilot's efforts to divert the aircraft away from the valley, it crashed and caught fire, killing all onboard.

Among the deceased were three members of the Jaiswal family from Maharashtra’s Yavatmal—Rajkumar, Shraddha, and their infant daughter Kashi. Their son survived as he remained with his grandfather.

Locals spotted the wreckage and alerted authorities. NDRF and SDRF teams reached the area and began rescue operations by 8:55 a.m. Two bodies have been recovered so far, with DNA tests required for identification due to severe burns.

This marks the fifth helicopter accident in the region in just six weeks. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami called the incident “extremely distressing,” confirming that rescue operations are underway.