Gen Bipin Rawat, Wife Madhulika Among Dead In Tamil Nadu Chopper Crash

New Delhi: It has been confirmed that Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat have died in the Tamil Nadu Helicopter crash earlier today, NDTV reported.

“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,” the Indian Air Force (IAF) tweeted.

The IAF had confirmed a little before 2 pm that an Mi-17 V5 helicopter with General Rawat on board had “met with an accident near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu”.

The Air Force also said it had ordered an Inquiry into what happened.

An Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter carrying senior Defence officials crashed near Coonoor in Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. Apart from General Bipin Rawat and his wife, Defence Assistant, security commandos and IAF pilots were on board the chopper that crashed.

News agency PTI quoted Nilgiris Collector SP Amrith as saying that 13 of the 14 occupants of the chopper have died. There was one survivor, a male, he told the agency.

Also read: 13 Out Of 14 On Ill-Fated Copter Dead: Reports; Country Prays For CDS Bipin Rawat

Also read: CDS Bipin Rawat Rescued From Crash Site, Taken To Hospital With Burn Injuries: Reports