Gen Rawat’s chopper crashes: Those who were on board

New Delhi, Dec 8: An Indian Air Force helicopter with Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat on board met with an accident on Wednesday near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu, the IAF said, as four persons were killed in the mishap that happened reportedly due to low visibility due to foggy conditions.

However, there was no immediate information on the condition of Gen Rawat, even as the IAF said a Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the accident, involving a Mi-17VH choppper that took from the Sulur IAF Station in nearby Coimbatore.

Official sources in Delhi said all the injured people on board the helicopter have been evacuated from the spot of the accident.

The Chief of Defence Staff was on his way to the Defence Staff College in Wellington.

Who All were onboard the ill-fated Mi-17

• General Bipin Rawat
• Madhulika Rawat
• Brig LS Lidder
• Lt Col H Singh
• Wg Cdr PS Chauhan
• Sqn Ldr K Singh
• JWO Das
• JWO Pradeep A
• Hav Satpal
• Nk Gursewak Singh
• Nk Jitender
• L/Nk Vivek
• L/Nk S Teja

Meanwhile, official sources in Coimbatore said four bodies have been retrieved and three persons rescued from under the debris of the helicopter which crashed in Katteri-Nanchappanchathram area near Coonoor in the hilly Nilgiris district. There was no concrete information immediately on the number of persons travelling in the ill-fated chopper though official sources had earlier said 3-4 senior offcials were among its occupants.

The helicopter, carrying a few senior officials, was on its way from Sulur in Coimbatore to DSC in Wellington where Rawat, along with Chief of Army Staff MM Naravane, was slated to participate in an event later.

The chopper crashed in a forest area, reportedly due to poor visibility following heavy fog, official sources said.

Watch video of rescue work at the chopper crash site