Not long after the Trans Bharat Aviation helicopter, which crashed in Uttarakhand’s Sthan Marwadi on Friday, took off, two other choppers departed from Badrinath and landed safely at their destinations, The Indian Express has learnt. One left just eight minutes after the aircraft, and another nearly an hour later, officials told The Indian Express, adding that two other flights that flew before the Trans Bharat chopper also completed their journeys safely.

This, officials indicated, will be considered as part of the probe as they try to understand whether the crash was the result of “adverse weather conditions” – as initially suggested by the authorities – or a combination of factors.

While flying operations in the Badrinath Valley had been suspended for three hours on Friday morning because of inclement weather between 9 am and noon, they resumed after conditions improved.

The Trans Bharat helicopter departed from Dehradun at 12.20 pm and landed at Badrinath at 1.11 pm.…