Military chopper crash: Why the rescue ops are tough

New Delhi, Dec 08: Rescue operations are on in full swing after a military chopper carrying Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat crashed in Nilgiris Tamil Nadu.

While reports say that a search is on, the operations are taking longer. The chopper crashed in the Nilgiri Hills which is a forested area. This has made it difficult to access the wreckage. Visuals showed that the wreckage was scattered on the hill-side as a result of which the rescuers are struggling through thick smoke and fire.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as per protocol. The Tamil Nadu government has sent senior officials including the collector of Nilgiri to the crash site to assist in the rescue operations. The forest minister of the state will also reach the spot.

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, the IAF said.

Five people have died in the incident while two are in hospital. Further details are not known as of now.

The chopper was heading to the defence establishment in Wellington and the crash took place in the Nilgiris shortly after the Mi-Series chopper took off from the Army base in Sulur.