IAF helicopter carrying senior Defence officials crashed near Coonoor in Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Bipin Rawat, along with his wife Madhulika Rawat, Defence Assistant, security commandos and IAF pilots were on board chopper that crashed. Rescue operations are underway. As per the latest update, five people on board the chopper have died, informed Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K Ramachandran.
“I have reached here (chopper crash site) on the instructions of the CM. Out of the 14 people on board, five people have died and the situation of two others is critical. Rescue operation is underway,” informed Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K Ramachandran, reported news agency ANI.
Fourteen people were onboard the ill-fated helicopter, including Brig LS Lidder, Lt Col Harjinder Singh, NK Gursewak Singh, NK Jitendra Kr, L/Naik Vivek Kumar, L/Naik B Sai Teja and Hav Satpal, reported news agency ANI.
The Indian Air Force tweeted, “An IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter, with CDS General Bipin Rawat on board, met with an accident today near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. An Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.”
An IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter, with CDS Gen Bipin Rawat on board, met with an accident today near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu.
An Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC)
Bodies recovered from the site of the crash have been taken to Military Hospital, Wellington in Tamil Nadu, according to reports.
In later development, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters that as per preliminary information, CDS Rawat has been taken to hospital for treatment. ” I am trying to gather more information on the incident,” he added.
The local military officers have reached the location and were told that locals have taken two bodies with 80 per cent burns to a local hospital. Few bodies can be seen downhill in the area of the accident. Efforts are on to retrieve the bodies and check identities, reported ANI citing sources.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will brief the Parliament on the chopper crash. Currently, he is monitoring the situation, according to ANI sources. A meeting of senior Defence Ministry officials is underway and the defence minister has briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the crash, the sources added.
After the news of the crash, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari tweeted, ” Shocked to hear about the tragic crash of helicopter with CoDS Shri Bipin Rawat ji on board. I pray for everyone’s safety, wellbeing.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also took to Twitter saying, ” Hoping for the safety of CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife and others onboard the chopper. Prayers for speedy recovery. “
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan also tweeted, “Received the news of an Army helicopter crash carrying CDS General Shri Bipin Rawat Ji and other senior Army officials in Tamilnadu. I am praying for their well-being and good health.”