SRINAGAR: All seven people on board – six pilgrims and the pilot – were killed Monday when a helicopter crashed in Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK) after leaving a popular Hindu shrine in the mountainous region, police said.
The helicopter crashed after taking off from the Katra town located near the Vaishnodevi shrine in the northern region which attracts millions of pilgrims every year.
“Seven people – six pilgrims and the lady pilot – died in the crash. We are investigating the cause of the accident,” Inspector General Danish Rana told media.
Television footage showed charred wreckage strewn over a field as police kept back dozens of onlookers.
In February, a military helicopter crashed north of Srinagar, the main city in Indian Occupied Kashmir, killing both pilots.