Date:10/07/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/07/10/stories/2009071056371800.htm

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Pilgrim killed as copter falls near Amarnath cave

Shujaat Bukhari

— PHOTO: PTI/ S. Irfan

A pilgrim being taken for treatment at a hospital after surviving the helicopter crash.

SRINAGAR: One pilgrim was killed and five injured when a helicopter lost height, allegedly due to a technical snag, and fell down between Sangam and the Lower Camp in the periphery of the Amarnath Holy Cave on Thursday morning.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) said Kalavati, a resident of Baitul district in Madhya Pradesh, died after she was hit by the copter’s rotor while walking on the track.

The pilot and four other pilgrims were also injured. They were brought to Baltal, where the condition of O.P. Aggarwal and Tej Pal Singh (both from U.P.) was reported to be stable. The other two pilgrims, Rajesh Kumar and his wife, Vandana (from Kolkata) and the pilot of the Himalayan Heli Services Private Limited, Captain Parminder Singh, were brought to the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura here for treatment.

The CEO said that on Thursday morning, around 7.20 a.m., the helicopter, flying from Baltal, could not land on 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 of Air Safety and Assistant Director Air Safety, being deputed by the Director General Civil Aviation, New Delhi.

The woman’s body has been brought to Baltal and the SASB was making all arrangements for its transportation to Baitul along with the woman’s husband, son and daughter.

Governor expresses sorrow

Expressing sorrow and shock over the incident, Governor N.N. Vohra, who is also chairman of the SASB, has directed the Chief Executive Officer of the Board to review all 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.

Pilgrimage on

A spokesperson of the Board said the pilgrimage was progressing smoothly on both the Pahalgam and Baltal tracks.

Pilgrims, numbering 10,638, had “darshan” at the holy cave shrine on Wednesday; 4,832 left from the Nunwan Base Camp and 3,123 from the Baltal Base Camp on Thursday morning.

Another batch of 1,652 left from Jammu for the Nunwan and the Baltal Base Camps on Thursday.