All seven people on board a Bell 407 helicopter that crashed in northern India on Sunday have died, according to multiple reports.
The aircraft was carrying passengers on a popular Hindu pilgrimage route in the state of Uttarakhand, Reuters reported, citing local officials. The pilot and a two-year-old child were among those killed, per the BBC.
“Very sad news has been received about a helicopter crash in Rudraprayag district,” the state’s chief minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, posted on X, per Reuters.
Officials said they have ordered an inquiry into the cause of the crash.
The aircraft was operated by Aryan Aviation and reportedly took off at 5:19 a.m. local time. It was bound for the town of Guptkashi, a popular town for pilgrims, per the BBC.
Images from the Uttarakhand Police, posted on X, showed a hillside strewn with debris from the wrecked fuselage.
The government of Uttarakhand suspended helicopter services to Kedarnath Valley until Monday due to bad weather, Reuters reported.
In the past month, there have been two helicopter crashes and three emergency landings on the same route, officials said.
