Defence Chopper Carrying CDS Gen Bipin Rawat Crashes In TN's Coonoor, Confirms IAF

CDS Bipin Rawat, his staff, and some family members were on board in the Mi-series chopper that crashed between Coimbatore and Sulur in Tamil Nadu.

CDS Gen Bipin Rawat | PTI

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has confirmed that a helicopter carrying Chief Of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat Army crashed at Coonoor in Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. It is reported that the Army chopper was carrying other senior defence officials as well.

ABP News confirms that CDS Bipin Rawat has been taken to hospital.

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The IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter was airborne from Sulur to Wellington. There were 14 persons on board, including the crew.  Three have been rescued with injuries and four are reportedly dead in the incident.

The rescued from the accident spot suffered serious injuries and have been taken to the Wellington cantonment.

CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife, Defence Assistant, security commandos and IAF pilots were on board the chopper.

An Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.

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.

— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) December 8, 2021

Former Army chief General Bipin Rawat was appointed the first tri-service chief on December 31, 2019, after the government introduced the Chief Of Defence Staff.

Gen Bipin Rawat was commissioned on December 16, 1978, into the Fifth Battalion of the Eleventh Gorkha Rifles of the Infantry. While graduating from the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, he was awarded the coveted 'Sword of Honour'.

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