Team News Riveting
Chennai, December 8
A military chopper with Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and his wife on board crashed in Coonoor of Tamil Nadu Wednesday afternoon.
“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,” Indian Air Force (IAF) said in a tweet.
The chopper was carrying defence officials from Sulur IAF station to Wellington, Coonoor. Senior defence officials were also flying with the CDS, who was on a visit to Defence Services Staff College, Wellington (Nilgiri Hills) to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course today.
An IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter carrying the top army officials crashed in Katteri-Nanchappanchathram area near Coonoor in the hilly Nilgiris district on Wednesday, police sources said.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) said an inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.
The mishap happened amid heavy mist and early visuals showed the helicopter in flames.
