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| Chopper carrying pilgrims crashes near cave; one dead, five injured | | |
Early Times Report
Baltal, July 9: One Amarnathji Yatri died and five others were injured when a Holy Cave bound helicopter lost height, due to technical snag, and fell down between Sangam and the Lower Camp in the periphery of the Holy Cave, early this morning.
Giving details of the mishap, the Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) said that the Yatri, Mrs. Kalavati, wife of Kali Ram, resident of Baitul district in Madhya Pradesh, who was walking on the track at the time of the accident, was hit by the roter and succumbed to her injuries.
The pilot of the helicopter and four passengers were injured. They were brought to Baltal where the condition of the two Yatris, Shri O P Aggarwal and Shri Tej Pal Singh (both residents of U.P.) was reported to be stable. Two other Yatris, Shri Rajesh Kumar, his wife, Smt. Vandana (from Kolkatta) and the pilot of the Himalayan Heli Services Private Limited, Captain Parminder Singh, were heli-lifted in 3 helicopters to Sher-e-Kashmir Institue of Medical Sciences, Soura, Srinagar, for specialized treatment.
The CEO elaborated that this morning, at around 7.20 A.M., a helicopter operated by M/S Himalayan Heli Services having four passengers on board, apart from the Pilot, heading towards the Holy Cave from Baltal, could not land at the helipad at the Holy Cave and in the process lost height around 100 meters away from the lower Camp towards Sangam. The cause of the incident will be investigated by a team, comprising Deputy Director Air Safety and Assistant Director Air Safety, being deputed by the Director General Civil Aviation, New Delhi. The team is likely to reach Srinagar in the afternoon and is scheduled to visit the site of the incident later in the day for investigation.
In the incident, one lady namely Mrs. Kalavati W/O Shri Kali Ram, resident of Baitul (M.P.), who was reportedly walking towards the Holy Cave on the lower track from Sangam, was hit by the helicopter and died. Her body has been brought down to Baltal and the Shrine Board is making all arrangements, at its cost, for transportation of the body to her native place along with her husband, son and the daughter, who were accompanying her to the Yatra.
In the incident, apart from the Pilot/Captain, Capt. Parminder Singh, four passengers who were traveling in the aircraft, Shri Om Aggarwal and Shri Tej Paul Singh, both from U.P. and Shri Rajesh and Smt. Vandana, residents of Kolkatta, were injured. They were immediately evacuated to Baltal. The Captain and two out of the four injured passengers namely Shri Rajesh and Smt. Vandana, have further been shifted by helicopters to SKIMS Srinagar where they are undergoing treatment.
The site of incident has been cordoned off. The Yatra is progressing smoothly both at the Holy Cave and on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes.
While expressing profound sorrow and shock over the incident, the Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board and the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr N N Vohra, has directed the Chief Executive Officer of the Board to review all existing arrangements relating to the operation of helicopter services, including the site of the existing helipad close to the Holy Cave, in consultation with experts from the Civil Aviation Department of the State Government for recommending all required measures for ensuring the complete safety and security of the pilgrims availing the helicopter service.
Meanwhile, a Spokesperson of the Board said that the pilgrimage to the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Amarnathji is progressing smoothly on both the Pahalgam and Baltal tracks. He said that 10638 Yatris performed darshan at the Holy Cave Shrine yesterday; 4832 pilgrims left from the Nunwan Base Camp and 3123 pilgrims left from the Baltal Base Camp for the Holy Cave this morning. He said that another batch of 1652 Yatris left from Jammu for the Nunwan and Baltal Base Camps today.
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