Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat’s Chopper Crashes

A military chopper carrying Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat and 13 others crashed shortly after take-off today in Tamil Nadu, the Indian Air Force said.

Five bodies have been found from the crash site and two persons have been taken to hospital with severe burn injuries. A search is on for seven others.

General Rawat’s wife, his Defence Assistant, security commandos and Air Force personnel were among 14 people on board.

“An IAF Mi-17 V5 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,” tweeted the Air Force.

General Rawat had taken a flight from Delhi to Sulur earlier today and that flight manifest had listed nine people. The flight from Sulur included five more, possibly crew.

The crash took place in the Nilgiris shortly after the Russian-made Mi-17 V5 chopper took off from the army base in Sulur in Coimbatore for the Defence Staff Services College in Wellington.

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