Trans Bharat helicopter loses contact near Joshimath

A helicopter operated by Trans Bharat Aviation lost contact near Joshimath on October 30 while travelling from Badrinath to Dehradun, prompting a search and rescue operation in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district. Authorities said six people, five passengers and a pilot, were aboard, but the aircraft’s status and the occupants’ condition had not been confirmed in early reports. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the district administration, Disaster Management Department and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) were conducting a joint rescue operation near Chai village. He said he was monitoring the situation and had instructed officials to airlift seriously injured people to higher medical facilities if needed. The district administration said it had received information that the helicopter had lost contact and was awaiting confirmation on whether it had crashed or made an emergency landing. A police officer in Joshimath said the administration had received a report of a possible crash landing above Chai village. Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority personnel reported that the helicopter’s location was showing near an Army camp above the village. SDRF...