CDS Gen Bipin Rawat Dies In Chopper Crash. Know Who Were The Others On Board

IAF has said a court of inquiry ordered into the accident that took place in the Nilgiris near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. CDS Rawat was on his way to the Defence Staff College in Wellington

Para Commando in CDS security Naik Gurushewak Singh, Para Commando Vivek Kumar (security), Para Commando Jitender Kumar, Para Commando BS Teja (security), Lt Col Harjinder Singh and Brig LS Lidder (From top)

New Delhi: Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 others died on Wednesday after an Indian Air Force Mi-17V-5 helicopter with 14 people onboard crashed in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor.

Group Captain Varun Singh SC, Directing Staff at DSSC, and the sole survivor, is undergoing treatment for injuries at the Military Hospital, Wellington. A court of inquiry has been ordered into the accident, the IAF said.

CDS Rawat was on his way to the Defence Staff College in Wellington. The military chopper crashed somewhere between Coimbatore and Sulur in Tamil Nadu. 

Fourteen people, including nine persons and five crew members, departed for Defence Staff College in Wellington in the Air Force’s Mi-17V-5 helicopter at 11.45 am.

Havildar Satpal Rai

Here is the list of the persons onboard the helicopter:

Gen Bipin Rawat, CDS
Madhulika Rawat 
Brig LS Lidder, Defence Adviser to the CDS 
Lt Col Harjinder Singh, Special Officer to the CDS
Naik Gursewak Singh, PSO
Naik Jitendra Kumar, PSO
Lance Naik Vivek Kumar, PSO
Lance Naik B Sai Teja, PSO 
Havildar Satpal, PSO

14 people were on-board the military chopper that crashed b/w Coimbatore&Sulur in Tamil Nadu. They included CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, Brig LS Lidder, Lt Col Harjinder Singh, NK Gursewak Singh, NK Jitendra Kr, L/Naik Vivek Kumar, L/Naik B Sai Teja & Hav Satpal

— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2021

The accident is believed to happened due to low visibility owing to foggy conditions. TV visuals showed the badly damaged chopper in flames. The mangled and burnt remains of the IAF chopper were strewn along the site.

The CM also spoke to Coonoor District Magistrate Amrith and instructed him to speed up rescue operation, sources said.