When local military officers reached the location, they were told that locals have taken two bodies with 80% burns to a local hospital, reports say.
Rescue officals at the spot where an IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter crashed in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021. CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his staff and some family members were in the chopper. Photo: PTI
New Delhi: Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife and officials belonging to his staff were in the helicopter that crashed between Coimbatore and Sulur in Tamil Nadu.
Journalist Shiv Aroor has tweeted that 11 of the 14 people who were on board are confirmed dead.
Tamil Nadu forest minister K. Ramachandran has reached the spot and noted that five people have died and two are critical. Tamil Nadu chief minister M.K. Stalin and IAF Chief V.R. Chaudhari are also scheduled to reach the site soon. Defence minister Rajnath Singh is expected to address parliament on the matter tomorrow, December 9.
The Indian Air Force has tweeted confirming that CDS Rawat was on board and that an inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of accident. However, has been no official note on injuries or a death toll from the crash yet.
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. pic.twitter.com/cnKn7RNFeR— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) December 8, 2021
News agency ANI has quoted unnamed sources as having told the agency that a total of 14 people including CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife, Defence Assistant, security commandos and IAF pilots were on board the chopper – an IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter.
A list of passengers and crew members of the helicopter from Delhi to Sulur which doing the rounds on social media names General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, Brigadier L.S. Lidder (defence assistant to the CDS), Lieutenant Colonel Harjinder Singh (special officer to the CDS), PSOs Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitendra Kumar, Lieutenant Naik Vivek Kumar, Lieutenant Naik B Sai Teja and Havildar Satpal. However, the manifest doing the rounds on social media is not of the chopper that was in the crash and there has been no confirmation that all the persons included in it were in the chopper which faced the accident.
The crash took place at the training camp at the Wellington Army Centre in Coonoor. Search and rescue operations have been launched from nearby bases. Visuals from the site show fire, smoke and debris.
The News Minute has reported that four people have died in the crash, while NDTV has reported that the tolls is five. However, it is still not clear what the condition of CDS Rawat or members of his staff and family are at present.
The news agency PTI quoted official sources as having said that all the injured people on board have been evacuated from the spot of the accident.
ANI has further reported, quoting sources, that when local military officers reached the location, they were told that locals have taken two bodies with 80% burns to a local hospital.
“Few bodies can be seen downhill in the area of the accident. Efforts are on to retrieve the bodies and check identities,” sources told the agency.
“Bodies recovered from the site of the crash” have been taken to Military Hospital at Wellington in Tamil Nadu, ANI has reported.
Note: This is a developing story and is being updated as details come in.
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(With input from news agency language)
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