00:00A Kedardath-bound helicopter crash-landed on a highway near Badasu in Ridduprayak district last Saturday,
00:07marking the fourth helicopter mishap on the Char Dham route within 30 days.
00:12The AW-119 chopper carrying five pilgrims took off from a Circe helipad at around 12.52pm.
00:18Shortly after take-off, the pilot detected a technical snag, suspected fault in the collective control,
00:24and made an emergency landing on the road.
00:26The tail rotor broke off after hitting a parked vehicle.
00:31Miraculously, all five pilgrims emerged unharmed.
00:34The pilot sustained minor back pain and was taken to a local hospital.
00:39The helicopter narrowly missed buildings.
00:41One tail rotor blade did damage a parked car and caused traffic disruption.
00:46This marks the fourth mishap on the Char Dham route in just one month,
00:51ranging from a deadly Gangotri crash to several emergency landings close to helipads.
00:56Pilgrims and officials now question if safety protocols are keeping up with rising traffic.
01:02The Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority and district tourism officials say
01:07the pilot acted decisively, selecting a road as the safest landing spot.
01:11They have confirmed that DGCA has been notified and shuttle operations are continuing as usual.
01:17With hundreds of thousands of pilgrims expected during Char Dham Yatra, air travel to high-altitude temples is growing.
01:26But rough terrain, sudden weather shifts and aging chopper fleets compound the risk.
01:32Aviation experts warn if norms and inspections aren't tightened, more fatal crashes will follow.
01:38Investigators from DGCA and AAIB are combing through maintenance logs, weather reports and pilot communications.
01:45Meanwhile, Uttarakhand officials promised stricter checks on helipads, fleet maintenance and pilot training.
01:51For pilgrims, the message is clear.
01:53Stay calm, stay alert and stay grounded.
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