Uttarkashi chopper crash: Witnesses heard strange noises; rotor blades may have struck telephone cables

DEHRADUN: Preliminary accounts from those who witnessed the aftermath of the chopper crash near Gangotri on Thursday suggested the pilot may have been attempting a controlled emergency landing when the helicopter's rotor blades possibly struck a telephone cable. The crash, which killed six people and left one critically injured, took place near Gangnani in Uttarkashi district. "The chopper was making strange noises near Garamkund, where I have a hotel. Many of us heard it, and within 10 to 15 minutes, some of the pilgrims informed us that a helicopter had crashed," said Govind Rana, 45, a local. Rana was among the first to reach the site. "We climbed down nearly 30 metres from the road, followed by another 60-metre descent on foot. With the help of others, I pulled the pilot out — his last words in pain were, ‘easy, easy.' He was still alive for some time, but we couldn't save him," he told TOI. Villagers who saw the ‘disbalancing helicopter', including Kapil Rana, 35, said the accident occurred between Huri and Bhangeli villages, both located at around 6,800 feet. "It made abnormal sounds, and within seconds it crashed — we didn't even get time to react," he said. Anveer Rawat, village head of Gangnani, who was with Rana and five others during the rescue, described the scene. "This is the first time we've seen a helicopter crash in the Gangotri valley. The sight was frightful. I couldn't even look at the deceased women. My only focus at that time was saving the lives of those still breathing. Only one person could be saved. Both his legs were fractured. Seething in pain, his words were – ‘my wife, my wife.' She lost her life in the crash."