Thirteen people, including Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat, onboard the IAF chopper that crashed in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday afternoon have been confirmed dead.
Confirming the news, the Indian Air Force tweeted, "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."
An IAF chopper with Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat and 13 others onboard crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday around 12:20 pm.
"Around noon today, an IAF Mi 17 V5 helicopter with a crew of 4 members carrying the CDS and 9 other passengers met with a tragic accident near Coonoor, TN," the IAF tweeted.
The IAF said in another tweet, "Gp Capt Varun Singh SC, Directing Staff at DSSC with injuries is currently under treatment at Military Hospital, Wellington."
The Mi-17 V5 chopper crashed in the Nilgiris, shortly after it toof off from the army base in Sulur near Coimbatore. The chopper was heading for Defence Staff Services College in Wellington, Udhagamandalam (Ooty).
"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," the Indian Air Force tweeted earlier in the day.
General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was on a visit to Defence Services Staff College, Wellington (Nilgiri Hills) to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course, the Indian Air Force said.
"Gen Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was on a visit to Defence Services Staff College, Wellington (Nilgiri Hills) to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course today," the IAF tweeted.
