The Indian Air Force has announced that Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat was killed in the helicopter crash in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, on Wednesday afternoon.
'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 IAF tweeted.
'Gen Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff was on a visit to the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington (Nilgiri Hills) to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course today,' it said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh too tweeted: 'Deeply anguished by the sudden demise of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 other Armed Forces personnel in an extremely unfortunate helicopter accident today in Tamil Nadu. His untimely death is an irreparable loss to our Armed Forces and the country.'
'General Rawat had served the country with exceptional courage and diligence. As the first Chief of Defence Staff he had prepared plans for jointness of our Armed Forces.
'My heart goes out to the families of those wh lost their loved ones in this accident. Praying for the speedy recovery of Gp Capt Varun Singh, who is currently under treatment at the Military Hospital, Wellington,' Rajnath Singh said.
The Indian Air Force helicopter with General Rawat on board crashed on Wednesday near Coonoor that happened reportedly due to low visibility owing to foggy conditions.
The IAF has ordered a court of inquiry into the accident involving the Mi-17VH chopper that took off from the Sulur IAF station in nearby Coimbatore.
Television visuals showed the badly damaged chopper in flames, possibly under the impact of the crash. Apparently, a major tragedy was averted as the helicopter fell at some distance away from a human habitation, averting possible mass casualties.
The accident site was a scene of despair with trees being reduced to broken pieces under the impact of the crash, flames from the chopper engulfing the wooden logs resulting in billowing smoke and personnel scurrying to douse the fire, including using buckets and water hose. What seemed to be some charred bodies were also seen lying around.
The mangled and burnt remains of the ill-fated IAF chopper were strewn along the site, even as rescue services personnel were seen carrying bodies in stretchers to be transported through waiting ambulances.
The accident site remained out of bounds for civilians.
The helicopter, carrying army officers and crew, was on its way from Sulur in Coimbatore to the DSSC in Wellington where General Rawat, along with Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane, was slated to participate in an event later, the sources added.
The chopper crashed in the forest area, reportedly due to poor visibility following heavy fog, they added.
Rescue personnel, along with Indian Army men, were seen involved in clearing the area.
Medical teams from nearby Coimbatore, including burns specialists, have been sent to Coonoor to treat the injured.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, who will visit Coonoor, tweeted, 'I am deeply shocked & disheartened on hearing the army chopper with CDS General Bipin Rawat and 13 others has met with an accident near Coonoor.'
'I've instructed the local administration to provide all the help needed in rescue operations even as I'm rushing to the spot,' Stalin said.
