Srinagar, July 9 - A helicopter crashed near the Amarnath cave shrine Thursday morning killing one woman pilgrim on the spot and wounding five occupants, police said.

The helicopter took off from north Kashmir's Baltal base camp early this morning, but crashed nearly 500 metres short of the helipad near the cave shrine, killing one woman on the ground and wounding all the five occupants including the captain, a senior police officer said.

The injured were being evacuated for treatment, he said.

A daily helicopter service to ferry the pilgrims to the cave shrine and back is being operated by the 'Himalayan Heli Services' from Baltal.

The annual pilgrimage to the cave which began last month is in full swing with over 8,000 pilgrims visiting the shrine everyday.