Tri-service inquiry ordered into chopper crash that killed CDS Bipin Rawat: Rajnath Singh in Lok Sabha

The Indian Air Force has instituted a tri-service inquiry into the tragic crash of the Mi17V5 helicopter that killed India’s first Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 other armed forces personnel.

“A tri-service enquiry regarding the incident has been ordered by Indian Air Force, headed by Air Marshal Manvendra Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Training Command,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in a statement made in both Houses of the Parliament on Thursday.

Narrating the sequence of events, Singh said, “Gen Bipin Rawat was on a scheduled visit to Defence Services Staff College, Wellington to interact with the student Officers. The Air Force Mi17V5 helicopter took off from SulurAir Base at 11:48 am yesterday and was expected to land at Wellington by 12:15 pm.”

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“The Air Traffic Control at Sulur Air Base lost contact with the helicopter at approximately 12:08 pm. Subsequently, few locals spotted a fire in the forest near Coonoor and rushed to the spot where they observed the wreckage of the military helicopter engulfed in flames. Rescue teams from the local administration in the vicinity reached the site and attempted to recover the survivors from the crash site.”

“All those recovered from the wreckage were rushed to the Military Hospital, Wellington. Latest reports have confirmed that out of the total 14 persons onboard the ill-fated helicopter, 13 have succumbed to their injuries,” he said.

The dead include the spouse of the CDS, Madhulika Rawat, his Defence Adviser Brig Lakhbinder Singh Lidder, Staff Officer Lt Col Harjinder Singh and nine other Armed Forces personnel including the Air Force helicopter crew.

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Their names are Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan, Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh, Junior Warrant Officer Rana Pratap Das, Junior Warrant Officer Arakkal Pradeep, Havildar Satpal Rai, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitendra Kumar, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar, Lance Naik B Sai Teja.

The lone survivor Group Captain Varun Singh is on life support in the Military Hospital at Wellington and all efforts are being made to save his life, Singh said.

The defence Minister also said that the Chief of Defence Staff would be cremated with full military honours.

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