In a series of tweets, the Indian Air Force (IAF) confirmed the death of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat along with his wife in the chopper crash in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. It further informed that group captain Varun Singh was the sole survivor and was receiving treatment.
The IAF informed via a tweet that Group Captain Varun Singh SC, Directing Staff at Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) was down with injuries and is under treatment at Military Hospital, Wellington.
The IAF had tweeted, "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".
Earlier in the day, an IAF Mi 17 V5 helicopter carrying the CDS, his wife, and eight other passengers along with four crew members crashed in Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. Gen Rawat was reportedly on his way to Wellington.
General Rawat was supposed to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course today.
Reportedly, Brigadier LS Lidder, Lieutenant Colonel Harjinder Singh, NK Gursewak Singh, NK Jitendra Kumar, L/NK Vivek Kumar, L/NK B Sai Teja, and Hav Satpal, Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan were among those on board, according to a list released by the IAF earlier.
The mortal remains of CDS Bipin Rawat and his wife along with other armed forces personnel killed in the chopper crash are expected to arrive in Delhi by tomorrow, reported ANI.
