Six people were killed in a helicopter crash in the Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakhand on Friday, news agency ANI reported, citing an official from the state's civil aviation authority. The helicopter was flying from Badrinath, a prominent pilgrimage destination for Hindus located in the mountains, to Dehradun city, the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) said in a statement.

All six people on board the chopper, including five passengers and the pilot, were killed, ANI reported, citing UCADA's Chief Executive Officer Prateek Jain. "The helicopter lost communication while it was flying over Joshimath valley.

At the same time, the tracking system could no longer track the helicopter," the authority said. The entire fleet of the operator, Trans Bharat Aviation, has been grounded "as a precautionary measure," it added.

The operator did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the tragic incident. A joint search and rescue operation was carried out by the district administration, disaster management teams, and troops in the region, officials said.

TV channels reported that rescue teams had rushed to the site of the crash, where fire and smoke were visible. Local authorities have initiated an investigation to determine the cause of the crash, which occurred in the challenging mountainous terrain of the Himalayas.

The incident has raised concerns regarding aviation safety protocols in the high-altitude regions of northern India.