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India: Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat dies in helicopter crash

14 people, including the top official's wife, were on board the chopper when it crashed

Published: Wed 8 Dec 2021, 4:52 PM

Updated: Wed 8 Dec 2021, 4:54 PM

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The Indian Air Force on Wednesday confirmed that Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat died in a helicopter crash in Coonor near Tamil Nadu's Nilgiri hill district.

According to an official tweet from the Air Force, the general's wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 other persons on board have died in the unfortunate accident.

Brigadier LS Lidder, Lieutenant Colonel Harjinder Singh, NK Gursewak Singh, NK Jitendra Kumar, L/NK Vivek Kumar, L/NK B Sai Teja and Hav Satpal were among the 14 onboard the aircraft.

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The IAF has ordered an inquiry into the accident.

While an investigation has been ordered, the government is likely to make a statement in Parliament on Thursday on the crash of the IAF's Mi-17V5 helicopter. The aircraft was on its way from Sulur IAF base in Coimbatore to Defence Staff College in Wellington.

Earlier, Defence minister Rajanath Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the crash, according to sources.

Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari has also rushed to the crash site, according to sources.

Bodies recovered from the site of the chopper crash were taken to Military Hospital, Wellington.

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin has expressed shock at the incident and said he has instructed the local administration to provide all the help needed in rescue operations. He is also slated to reach the site of the crash.



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