A total of 14 people including Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife, Defence Assistant, security commandos and IAF pilots were on board the chopper
CDS General Bipin Rawat. File Pic/ PTI
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 other people on board died after an an Indian Air force helicopter crashed in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor on Wednesday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) confirmed. The other victims, all from the armed forces, were identified as Brigadier LS Lidder, Lieutenant Colonel Harjinder Singh, Wing Commander PS Chauhan, Squadron Leader K Singh, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitender Kumar, Lance Naik Vivek, Lance Naik B S Teja, Havaldar Satpal, JWO Das and JWO Pradeep, according to official sources.
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With deep regret, it has now been ascertained that Gen Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat and 11 other persons on board have died in the unfortunate accident.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) December 8, 2021
The Mi-17V5 helicopter carrying Gen. Rawat, the 63-year-old tri-services chief who would have completed two years at the end of this month in the new post after serving as the Army chief, crashed killing 13 of the 14 people on board including his wife and 11 other armed forces personnel, the officials said. The lone survivor, Group Captain Varun Singh, Directing Staff at DSSC, is currently under treatment at a military hospital in nearby Wellington, the IAF said.
News agency ANI, citing sources, also posted on Twitter that Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan was the pilot of the Mi-17V5. "He is the Commanding Officer of the 109 Helicopter Unit," added the tweet.
Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan was pilot of the Mi-17V5 which crashed with 14 personnel on board including CDS Gen Bipin Rawat. He is the Commanding Officer of the 109 Helicopter Unit: Sources
— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2021
The helicopter carrying Rawat and others had left Sulur IAF station in nearby Coimbatore around 11.48 am and was supposed to land at DSSC in Wellington at Udhagamandalam about 45 minutes later, official sources said, adding the mishap occurred at 12.22 pm. The CDS had earlier reached the IAF station from Delhi by an Embraer aircraft at 11.34 am.
Locals at the site where the chopper crashed. Pic/ Pallav Paliwal
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 pic.twitter.com/Ac3f36WlBB
— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2021
LIVE UPDATES:
- The Centre is likely to issue a statement in Parliament on Thursday on the crash, as per The Tribune.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reaches the Delhi residence of CDS Bipin Rawat.
Delhi | Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reaches the residence of CDS Bipin Rawat pic.twitter.com/05DismLAq9
— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2021
- IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudari is going to crash site.
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to go to Coimbatore today evening and then move to Nilgiris, chopper crash.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is going to address the Parliament on the accident shortly.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will brief parliament on the crash of an army chopper in #Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. The chopper had Chief of Defence Staff #BipinRawat, his staff and family members on board.
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) December 8, 2021
File Pic pic.twitter.com/EumelZG7oR
- Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray also tweeted wishing for the safety of CDS General Rawat and his colleagues.
Praying for the safety and well being of CDS Bipin Rawat ji and the rest of his colleagues, on board with him.
— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) December 8, 2021
- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed his concern over the accident and tweeted, "Hoping for the safety of CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife and others onboard the chopper."
Hoping for the safety of CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife and others onboard the chopper.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 8, 2021
Prayers for speedy recovery.
- As per a PTI report, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ended an administrative review meeting midway on Monday as soon as she came to know about the incident. "We have received sad news. I am shocked. I have no words to express my grief. I am ending this meeting," she said and left the venue of the meeting.
- Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani also wished for CDS Bipin Rawat's safety.
Praying for the safety of CDS General Bipin Rawat and others onboard the chopper that has reportedly crashed in Tamil Nadu.
— Jignesh Mevani (@jigneshmevani80) December 8, 2021 - Bodies recovered from the site of the crash (between Coimbatore and Sulur where a military chopper crashed) have been taken to Military Hospital, Wellington in Tamil Nadu.
BREAKING
— DD News (@DDNewslive) December 8, 2021
Indian Air Force Mi-17V5 helicopter, with CDS General #BipinRawat on-board, meets with an accident near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu pic.twitter.com/M1rAxkFKuF
In this file photo taken on January 15, 2018 the then Indian army chief Bipin Rawat inspects the Army Day parade in New Delhi. Pic/ PTI
- 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 news agency ANI.
#MiddayNews |
— Mid Day (@mid_day) December 8, 2021
Visuals from the site where an #IAFchopper carrying Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General #BipinRawat, his staff and some family members, crashed in Tamil Nadu’s #Coonoor.
Video: Pallav Paliwal#CoonoorHelicopterAccident #HelicopterCrash #CDSBipinRawat #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/468hv3mJPN
- The official Twitter handle of IAF stated that “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.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) December 8, 2021
An Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.
-
Troops of 204 CoBRA and police conducted Search and Cordon Operation (SCO) and apprehended a militia member identified as Venjam Mohan. He was handed over to the police, said CRPF.
#WATCH | Latest visuals from the spot (between Coimbatore and Sulur) where a military chopper crashed in Tamil Nadu. CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his staff and some family members were in the chopper.
— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2021
(Video Source: Locals involved in search and rescue operation) pic.twitter.com/YkBVlzsk1J
- 14 people were on-board the military chopper that crashed between Coimbatore and Sulur in Tamil Nadu. They included CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, Brig LS Lidder, Lt Col Harjinder Singh, NK Gursewak Singh, NK Jitendra Kr, L/Naik Vivek Kumar, L/Naik B Sai Teja & Hav Satpal
Latest visuals from the spot (between Coimbatore and Sulur) where a military chopper crashed in Tamil Nadu. CDS Bipin Rawat, his staff and some family members were in the chopper.
— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2021
(Pics Source: Locals involved in search and rescue operation) pic.twitter.com/miALr88sm1
(With agency inputs)
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