Three killed after rescue and relief helicopter crashes in Uttarakhand's rain-hit Uttarkashi; SDRF, ITBP on site

A private helicopter engaged in relief and rescue operations in rain-ravaged Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand crashed and erupted in flames on Wednesday after it got entangled in overhead wires, an official said. Three are reported to be dead. [caption id=“attachment_7200341” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] A helicopter, carrying relief material to flood-affected areas, crashed in Uttarkashi today. ANI[/caption] Two of those killed in the crash were pilots, named pilot Rajpal, co-pilot Kaptal Lal, and a third local named Ramesh Sawar, as reported by ANI. A team of 10 from State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and another team from Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is on site, for rescue operations and to help retrieve the bodies, the report added. The helicopter that left from Mori crashed near Moldi while returning after distributing relief material among the affected people, Uttarkashi Disaster Management officer Devendra Patwal told PTI over the phone. “According to preliminary information the crash did not occur at a high altitude and those on board should be safe,” he said earlier, adding details are awaited. Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) from Uttarakhand Devendra Negi said that two out of the three persons who were on-board the helicopter, had died and that one was severely injured. Torrential rains in Mori area of the district on Sunday left 16 persons dead and around half a dozen missing. With inputs from PTI.