Helicopter Crash in Chamoli’s Hathi Parvat Area Kills Six, Including Pilot
Trans Bharat Aviation helicopter was flying from Badrinath to Sahastradhara; Army team reaches crash site as rescue operations continue in difficult mountainous terrain
Dehradun/Chamoli, October 30, 2026: A civil helicopter operated by Trans Bharat Aviation crashed in the Hathi Parvat area near Marwari in Joshimath tehsil of Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, on Friday afternoon. All six people on board, including the pilot, were killed in the accident.
According to information received from the State Emergency Operations Centre, the helicopter was travelling from Badrinath Dham to Sahastradhara when the incident occurred at around 2 pm.
Army team spots smoke from helicopter
The Chamoli District Emergency Operations Centre reported that a team stationed at an Army Signal Centre on a nearby mountain spotted smoke rising from the helicopter in the Hathi Parvat area. The team also saw the helicopter descending rapidly towards the lower slopes.
Following the alert, the district administration immediately dispatched Army personnel, SDRF, ITBP, police, health department officials and disaster management teams to the site.
Base Hospital Srinagar, AIIMS Rishikesh and other concerned medical institutions were also placed on high alert to respond to any emergency.
Rescue operations face challenging terrain
An Army team reached the crash site and began search operations. According to preliminary information, all six people aboard the helicopter had died. The bodies were found burnt and severely damaged.
The administration said the crash site is located in a remote mountainous and forested area where Himalayan bears are reportedly active. Due to darkness and the difficult terrain, the remaining rescue teams were scheduled to resume trekking towards the site at 5 am on October 31.
The Army informed the district administration that its personnel at the crash site were ensuring the safety and security of the bodies.
Rescue teams are working to bring the bodies to the nearest road-accessible point and complete the necessary procedures.
Four victims from Bengaluru
The administration’s preliminary list of the deceased includes the pilot, Himanshu Sabharwal, a resident of Delhi, and five passengers.
The deceased have been identified as:
- Himanshu Sabharwal — Pilot, Delhi.
- Prathapa Bachihally Ningaraju — 41, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
- Arun Salunke — 44, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
- V.B. Shankaregowda — 39, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
- Sudheer K. — 49, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
- H.S. Nataraja — 51, Karnataka.
The details of the incident have also been communicated to the concerned officials of the Karnataka State Emergency Operations Centre.
The Army Signal Centre team is present at the crash site, while the Army, ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, local police, district disaster management officials and medical teams are involved in the rescue operation.
The cause of the crash has not yet been established and will be determined through further investigation.
