New Delhi/Uttarakhand — Colonel (Retd.) Himanshu Sabharwal, a former Indian Army aviator and experienced helicopter pilot, was among six people killed when their aircraft crashed near Joshimath in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district on October 30, 2026, officials and witnesses said.
The AS350B3 single-engine helicopter, registered VT-HCX and operated by Trans Bharat Aviation Pvt. Ltd, had departed from the Badrinath civil helipad at approximately 1:14 pm en route to the Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun. Colonel Sabharwal was at the controls; five passengers from Karnataka were on board. Shortly after takeoff, the helicopter lost communication with air traffic control while flying over the Joshimath valley. Army personnel in the region reported seeing smoke and the aircraft descending rapidly near the Hathi Parvat area. The wreckage was subsequently located in a forested mountainous area near Chai village, close to the JP Power House and Marwari Bridge.
All six occupants died in the crash. The five passengers were identified as Arun Salunke, 44, a Bengaluru Central Crime Branch police inspector; H.S. Nataraja; Pratapa; Sudhir K.; and V.B. Shankar Gowda. Search and recovery operations involving the Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, Uttarakhand Police and district administration were complicated by difficult terrain, poor visibility and adverse weather conditions. All six bodies were recovered from the accident site.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation initiated a preliminary assessment of the crash circumstances. Although adverse weather and reduced visibility were reported in the region, the exact cause of the accident has not yet been established. Trans Bharat Aviation grounded its helicopter fleet as a precautionary measure following the incident.
The crash has drawn parliamentary attention. The Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, headed by Janata Dal-United MP Sanjay Jha, is scheduled to meet on November 13 to discuss helicopter crashes, including a pattern of five crashes reported from Uttarakhand between May and June 2025. Separately, chartered flight operators in the region announced the discontinuation of Char Dham services for the remainder of the season after failing to reach agreement with the DGCA on a mandatory two-pilot rule.
Colonel Sabharwal, 48, a resident of Shalimar Bagh in West Delhi, completed his Class XII education at Modern Public School. Neighbours recalled him as widely known as "Colonel" in the locality due to his Army service and commanding appointments, and described him as cheerful, respectful and generous. Former colleagues and fellow Army officers remembered him as a skilled aviator, humble leader and fine officer who readily shared his professional knowledge with juniors. During his civilian aviation career, Sabharwal was associated with ceremonial flower-petal showers over the Sri Harmandir Sahib area in Amritsar during celebrations marking Guru Ram Das Ji’s Parkash Purab. He is survived by his wife, two children, parents and younger brother Kunal Sabharwal, an advocate based in Delhi.
His sudden demise has left his family, friends and former military colleagues deeply saddened. Colonel Himanshu Sabharwal will be remembered for his distinguished military background, professional flying experience and commitment to aviation both in service and after retirement.
