Overview

• The Uttarakhand government lifted a two-day suspension on June 17 that halted chopper operations on the Char Dham pilgrimage route
• A Bell 407 helicopter crashed near Gaurikund on June 15 while returning from Kedarnath, killing seven people including the pilot and a 23-month-old child
• The DGCA and UCADA now require clearances only under favorable weather conditions and have booked two Aryan Aviation managers on culpable homicide charges
• Investigators are examining whether pilot misjudgment of mountain weather contributed to the latest crash, echoing findings from a similar October 2022 accident
• Critics warn that key safety upgrades such as an Aviation Met Station and Kedarnath air traffic control remain unimplemented despite repeated incidents