POBNEWS24, Desk report, Dec 8, 2021: India’s chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat was on an army chopper that crashed in Tamil Nadu a short while ago.
General Rawat’s staff and family members were also among the nine people on board.
The Indian Air Force confirmed on Twitter that the Chief of Defence Staff was on the flight. He had taken a flight from Delhi to Sulur earlier today.
“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.
Four people are dead and two have survived. Details are not known so far.
The crash took place in the Nilgiris, shortly after the Mi-series chopper took off from the army base in Sulur.
The chopper was heading to the Wellington defence establishment.
Images on local TV channels showed the wreckage in the hills and rescuers at work, struggling through thick smoke and fire.
