Char Dham Yatra flights halted following chopper crash, pilot licenses suspended amid safety concerns

A tragic helicopter accident in the Kedarnath sector today has led to the immediate suspension of Aryan Aviation’s operations for the ongoing Char Dham Yatra.


According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the ill-fated helicopter was carrying five passengers, including an infant, and one crew member at the time of the incident.

In a related development, the Ministry has also suspended the licenses of two pilots—Capt. Yogesh Grewal (VT-TBC) and Capt. Jitender Harjai (VT-TBF) of M/s TransBharat Aviation—after it was found that both aircraft were operating under similarly adverse weather conditions. The pilots’ Commercial Pilot Licenses (Helicopter) have been suspended for six months.

As a precautionary measure, all charter and shuttle helicopter services in the region have been suspended for June 15 and 16, 2025.