The tragic helicopter crash near Gaurikund in Uttarakhand that claimed the lives of all seven people on board, was flown by a pilot, 37-year-old Captain Rajveer Singh Chauhan, who recently become a father to twins.
His wife, a serving Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army, gave birth just four months ago.
The crash, occurred early Sunday morning during a return pilgrims flight from Kedarnath to Guptkashi, and involved a Bell 407 helicopter (Reg. VT-BKA) operated by Aryan Aviation.
Agency reports say the chopper took off at 5:19 a.m. and went down between 5:30 and 5:45 a.m. near Gaurikund, killing all onboard—five adult pilgrims, one infant, and Captain Chauhan.
The India Ministry of Civil Aviation has reissued strict safety directives, suspending all helicopter services in the area for two days (June 15–16) and instructing the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to strictly enforce all safety protocols, especially in sensitive zones like the Kedarnath Valley.
Already preliminary findings reveal that the crash may have resulted from Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT), possibly due to poor visibility and dense cloud cover in the area.
The government has also suspended the licenses of two other pilots—Capt. Yogesh Grewal and Capt. Jitender Harjai—after they were found flying in similarly dangerous weather conditions on the same day. Aryan Aviation’s operations for the Char Dham Yatra have been halted pending further review.
Captain Chauhan had over 15 years of experience serving in the Indian Army before joining Aryan Aviation in October 2024. He was highly trained in flying missions across difficult terrain and in helicopter maintenance.
His grieving father, Govind Singh, revealed that Rajveer’s wife was away on duty when the news broke. “His colleague called to inform me. His wife gave birth to twins just four months ago,” he said, struggling with emotion.
