Uttarakhand helicopter crash: Chopper flew despite bad weather alert
A helicopter crash near Badrinath, India, has prompted an investigation into why the flight proceeded despite an official 'orange alert' for bad weather. Authorities claim the aviation firm defied a direct order to halt operations, a charge the company denies.
Why it matters
The incident raises critical questions about aviation safety regulations and the enforcement of weather-related flight restrictions in mountainous terrain.
DEHRADUN: A day after the helicopter crash near Badrinath claimed the lives of the pilot and five pilgrims from Karnataka, questions were raised on how the chopper was allowed to take off when there was already an orange alert for bad weather, especially since the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) on Saturday said that its orders to halt all flight operations in the area about an hour before the accident were “defied by the heli firm”.UCADA additional chief executive officer (CEO) Sanjay Tolia told TOI that the order was issued by the body’s head of operations, Group Captain Amit Sharma (retd). “UCADA always operates under the rules and regulations of the director general of civil aviation (DGCA) in helicopter operations.
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