An AIIMS, Rishikesh, heli ambulance heading to Kedarnath to fly back an unwell pilgrim crash-landed in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district on Saturday, with the crash being recorded and going viral on social media.
Crash Just Short of Kedarnath Helipad
The heli ambulance ‘Sanjeevani’ crash landed just a few meters short of the helipad at the Himalayan temple. The heli ambulance nose-dived towards the helipad but landed heavily on a level ground a few meters away, as per a PTI report.
The pilot and two doctors were on board the heli ambulance to treat the patient. All three managed to escape without injury.
Video of Crash Goes Viral of Kedarnath Helipad Crash
The viral videos on social media depict the heli ambulance briefly turning anti-clockwise upon crash landing. Such a landing caused its tail rotor to shatter. Here is the video:
कुछ इस तरह से क्रैश हुआ था आज केदारनाथ में ऋषिकेश एम्स का हेली एम्बुलेंस । एक मरीज को लेने आ रहा था । 2 डॉक्टर भी थे हेली में मौजूद । सभी सुरक्षित ।।#KedarnathDham #kedarnath pic.twitter.com/5t310zYz8K
— Lusun Todariya (@LusunTodariyaUK) May 17, 2025
The administration of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh, issued a statement stating that the crash landing of the heli ambulance happened at about 11 am on Saturday. As per the statement, all the people on board the aircraft are safe.
Technical Snag Blamed for Emergency Landing
“The Sanjeevani heli ambulance had gone from AIIMS, Rishikesh to Kedarnath to rescue Shree Devi, a pilgrim suffering from respiratory distress, when it developed a technical snag,” the Rudraprayag district tourism development officer Rahul Choubey told news agency PTI.
DGCA to Investigate the Incident
As per the officer’s statement, the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) will investigate the crash landing incident.
The official said the heli ambulance developed a technical snag just before landing at Kedarnath’s main helipad. The pilot noticed the issue at the last moment and made an emergency landing on level ground nearby. Nevertheless, he said, the tail rotor of the helicopter snapped while landing.
