Helicopter crash kills pilgrims in Kashmir

SRINAGAR: A helicopter flying pilgrims from a mountain temple dedicated to a Hindu goddess crashed yesterday, killing seven people in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir. Police officer Sameer Kotwal said the helicopter caught fire as it hit the ground near its landing site in Katra town.

Rescuers recovered the bodies of the six pilgrims and the pilot, Kotwal said. The cause of the accident is being investigated. The helicopter belonged to a company that operates flights to Vaishno Devi temple, which is in a cave in the Himalayas at a height of 5,300 feet (1,600 meters). The helicopter trip is popular with pilgrims who find it difficult to trek to the temple. The area is 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Jammu, the winter capital of India’s Jammu-Kashmir state. Every year, more than 10 million people visit the temple, which is dedicated to goddess Mahalakshmi. — AP