A helicopter en route to Kedarnath made an emergency landing on a highway in Rudraprayag district on Saturday after experiencing a technical snag during takeoff. All pilgrims aboard and the pilot are reported safe, though the pilot sustained minor injuries.

The incident occurred near Sirsi on the highway after the Kestrel Aviation helicopter departed from its Badasu base. Officials confirmed that the emergency landing was prompted by a technical issue that arose shortly after takeoff.

Videos circulating on social media show the helicopter positioned in the middle of the highway, alarmingly close to populated buildings.

One image notably depicts a car that was damaged by the helicopter's tail rotor during the unscheduled landing. There were six individuals on board the helicopter, including the pilot, who had a narrow escape.

The pilot was transported to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Despite the incident, Kedarnath heli service nodal officer Rahul Chaubey confirmed that the heli shuttle service to the Himalayan temple remains unaffected and continues its operations.

Efforts are currently underway to remove the helicopter from the highway to restore normal traffic flow.