A helicopter carrying six people crashed in a northern Indian state on Friday after taking off from the Hindu pilgrimage site of Badrinath, officials said. Contact with the aircraft was lost shortly after departure in the afternoon, and it subsequently went down, authorities reported.
Details about the exact location of the crash, the identities of those on board or the cause of the accident were not immediately available. Local and regional authorities said they had been alerted to the incident but did not provide further information about any ongoing search and rescue operations.
Badrinath is a prominent Hindu pilgrimage site in the Himalayas that draws large numbers of devotees, particularly during the peak pilgrimage season. Helicopters are sometimes used to transport pilgrims and visitors in and out of the mountainous region when road access is limited.
Officials said they would release more information as it becomes available. The incident is under investigation by local authorities, who are expected to publish updates once initial inquiries and any rescue efforts are completed.