CHENNAI: At least 13 people including Indian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat were killed as an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter crashed in South Indian state of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.
The 63-year-old chief of defence staff General Rawat was travelling in a Russian-made Mi-17V5 chopper that “met with an accident today near Coonoor”, the Indian Air Force said on Twitter, adding that General Rawat had received 70-80% burns to his body.
Indian media reported that the ill-fated chopper was carrying 14 persons including family of General Rawat. Besides family and personal staff of General Rawat, Indian defence secretary, IAF pilots and security commandos were also on board.
The chopper was moving from Sulur in Coimbatore to Defence Services Staff College in Wellington where Rawat, along with Chief of Army Staff MM Naravane, was scheduled to participate in an event later.
The development was confirmed by the Indian Air Force (IAF) via a tweet, adding, “An inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident,” it added. However, the tweet was subsequently deleted by the IAF.
Indian media confirmed that two bodies, with 80% burns, were taken to a local hospital by the area’s locals. “Few bodies can be seen downhill in the area of the accident. Efforts are on to retrieve the bodies and check identities”.
Following the incident, Indian forces have launched a search operation in the area while an inquiry has also been started in this regard.
Rawat is India’s first chief of defence staff, a position that the Indian government established in 2019, and is seen as close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He and his wife were on board along with other officers and were headed to the Defence Services Staff College, a senior army officer said.
Videos broadcast on Indian news channels showed a fiery wreck at the crash site in a dense forested area in Nilgiris district.
Media reports said the chopper took off from Sulur Air Force Station.
Read more: Pakistan alarms NATO over deteriorating Afghan situation
