Helicopter carrying Hindu pilgrims crashes in northern India

LUCKNOW, India (AP) — A helicopter bringing Hindu pilgrims from a popular temple site in the Indian Himalayas crashed Tuesday in foggy weather.

India's Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia confirmed the crash and said his ministry was determining the magnitude of the loss. Media reports said six passengers and a pilot were on board.

Officials said the helicopter operated by a private company crashed in foggy weather. Other details were not immediately known.

The Kedarnath temple of Hindu god Shiva is a pilgrimage site in Rudraprayag district in Uttarakhand state. It is situated at an elevation of 1,311 meters (4,300 feet) and open to devotees only from April to November.