Seven people, including two children, the pilot and four male passengers, were dead in the private chopper crash in India's northern hilly state of Uttarakhand early on Sunday, a senior state government official said, reported Xinhua.
The chopper, which belonged to the private company Aryan Aviation, was flying from Kedarnath, a famous pilgrimage spot for the Hindu community, to Guptkashi area.
Kedarnath-Guptkashi is a seven-kilometre stretch located in the jungles. TV reports showed smoke emitting from the debris of the crashed chopper.
Vinay Shankar Pandey, the official, said, "As per preliminary reports and the eyewitnesses' account, there is no hope of any survivors in the crash."
He added that teams of the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force had been deployed to the crash site.
Meanwhile, at least two people were killed and 32 others injured, with several others swept away, on Sunday after a bridge collapsed in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, officials said, reported Xinhua.
The bridge over the Indrayani river collapsed at Kundmala in Pune district, about 129 km southeast of Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra.
"According to preliminary information, two people were killed in this incident. I pay my heartfelt tribute to them. We share the grief of their families," Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in a brief statement on social media.
Authorities have rushed teams of police, health department and disaster response force personnel, including teams from India's National Disaster Response Force, to the spot to carry out search and rescue operations.
"Six people have been rescued so far," Fadnavis said. "Thirty-two people were injured, six of them are in critical condition. They have been admitted to the hospital for treatment."
He said he was in constant touch with senior local government officials and police officers regarding the incident.
"All the agencies have been ordered to be on alert mode," he said.
Kundmala is a popular tourist destination and witnesses a high footfall during monsoons.
According to officials, there were dozens of people, mostly tourists, on the bridge at the time of its collapse. Witnesses said the people fell into the swollen river, and some were swept away in the strong current of water.
Officials said the area has been experiencing heavy rains over the past few days, pushing up the water level in the river.
Reports said locals had raised concerns about the structural safety of the bridge, which was renovated four years ago. However, the people thronging the area were unaware of the potential danger.
- India
- Chopper crash
- Bridge collapse
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
