India is grappling with another aviation tragedy following the crash of a helicopter in the northern state of Uttarakhand, which claimed the lives of all seven people on board.

The helicopter, a Bell 407 operated by Aryan Aviation (registration VT-BKA), was traveling from Kedarnath to Guptkashi along a well-known pilgrimage route through the Himalayan mountains when it lost contact with authorities early Saturday morning.

According to the BBC, the aircraft carried five passengers, a child, and one crew member. The Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed that a two-year-old child and the pilot were among the deceased. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has launched an inquiry into the cause of the crash.

“At around 5:30 AM, we got the information that a helicopter, which was going from Shri Kedarnath Dham, could not be located,” stated the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Department. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), alongside local officials, has begun rescue and recovery operations. The SDRF described the crash as "very sad news."

This latest incident comes just three days after a catastrophic plane crash in Ahmedabad, where an India Air Boeing 787 aircraft slammed into a residential area, killing more than 270 people.

Authorities at the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad reported receiving 270 bodies from the site of the crash. The sole surviving passenger remains hospitalized but is expected to be discharged soon. “He is doing very well and will be ready to be discharged anytime soon,” hospital staff told the Associated Press.

Meanwhile, relatives of the victims have begun submitting DNA samples to aid in the identification and recovery process.

Both accidents have raised fresh concerns about aviation safety in the country, prompting calls for thorough investigations and improved oversight.