The chopper hit a technical snag during take-off, prompting the precautionary landing on the road, officials said. A parked vehicle on the highway was damaged. (Express Photo)A helicopter carrying five passengers to Kedarnath on Saturday had to make a quick landing on a highway in Uttarakhand.The chopper hit a technical snag during take-off, prompting the precautionary landing on the road, officials said. A parked vehicle on the highway was damaged.The helicopter belonging to Krestel Aviation Private Limited, according to the DGCA, developed a technical snag during take-off on Saturday afternoon. District tourism development officer, Rahul Chaubey, said that the pilot, sensing the situation in time, made an emergency landing on a nearby road, thereby averting a major mishap.Helicopter heading to #Kedarnath makes emergency landing on #Uttarakhand highway after technical snagRead more here: https://t.co/oHWq9lZ9Kg pic.twitter.com/WYsyaIF1rZ— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) June 7, 2025“The pilot sustained minor injuries and was immediately taken to the hospital. Upon receiving information about the incident, the district administration dispatched a team to the site. Efforts are underway to remove the helicopter from the road, and traffic is being restored to normal,” he added.Chaubey said that the helicopter was taking off from its base at Barasu for Kedarnath Dham with five passengers on board and the pilot spotted an empty stretch of road nearby to carry out an emergency landing. “All five passengers on board the helicopter are safe. The incident has not affected the ongoing heli shuttle services,” the state government said in a statement.Also Read | Tejashwi Yadav escapes major accident after truck rams into his convoyThe Government of Uttarakhand’s Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), incorporated in 2013 to develop the civil aviation sector in the state, has informed the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, said the UCADA CEO, Sonika. “The AAIB gave instructions to remove the helicopter from the road. Prima facie, the situation arose after the control inputs of the helicopter were jammed during take off. A probe is underway,” she added.In May, five passengers and a pilot were killed when a helicopter they were travelling in plunged into a gorge while on their way to Gangotri, one of the Char Dham shrines. Operators, including private ones, ply pilgrims to the shrines and other spots across the state and are monitored by UCADA.Aiswarya Raj is a correspondent with The Indian Express who covers South Haryana. An alumna of Asian College of Journalism and the University of Kerala, she started her career at The Indian Express as a sub-editor in the Delhi city team. In her current position, she reports from Gurgaon and covers the neighbouring districts. She likes to tell stories of people and hopes to find moorings in narrative journalism. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Kedarnath