Seven people were killed Tuesday, October 18 in the crash of a helicopter carrying Hindu pilgrims in the mountains of the Indian Himalayas.
The pilot and the six Hindu pilgrims on board were returning from the Kedarnath temple when the helicopter crashed, Nandan Singh Rajwar, a response manager, told AFP from the crash site. The temple of Kedarnath, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, is located at 3584 meters above sea level, in the state of Uttarakhand (North) frequented by pilgrims from all over the country during the summer which makes it more accessible.
Losses to be determined
The cause of the disaster had not yet been determined, said Nandan Singh Rajwar. India’s Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Twitter that the accident was “extremely unhappyand that his ministry was in the process ofdetermine the extent of the losses“.
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The temple of Kedarnath is one of many Hindu shrines scattered over the heights of the Indian Himalayas, sometimes several hours’ walk from any road. Helicopter charter companies have sprung up there to take wealthy pilgrims to religious sites.
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