While there was no immediate information on the condition of General Rawat, the IAF said a Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the incident
FP Staff
December 08, 2021 16:03:29 IST
Visuals from the crash site. ANI
An Indian Air Force helicopter with Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat on board met with an accident reportedly due to low visibility due to foggy conditions on Wednesday near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.
Follow all LIVE updates on the crash here
While there was no immediate information on the condition of General Rawat, the IAF said a Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the incident.
Here’s everything we know about the crash thus far:
The IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter took off from the Sulur IAF Station in Coimbatore.
The copter crashed around 11.30 am in Katteri-Nanchappanchathram area near Coonoor in the hilly Nilgiris district.
The site of the accident was on a Ghat road between Mettupalayam and Coonoor.
TV visuals showed the chopper in flames, apparently under the impact of the crash.
Rescue personnel, along with army personnel, were seen involved in clearing the area.
The Chief of Defence Staff, along with a few senior officials, was on his way to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington where he was to give a lecture at 2.45 and participate in an event along with Chief of Army Staff MM Naravane.
The Defence Services Staff College, of which Rawat was an alumni, founded in 1947, is one of the earliest institutions of its kind in the entire world to provide under one roof training to officers of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, along with officers of the civil services.
The injured have been taken to Wellington cantonment in Nilgiris.
Wellington Cantonment is situated three kilometres to the north of Coonoor. The Mettupalayam-Ooty road passes through the Cantonment.
Wellington is a Class II Cantonment with a population of around 20,000 and is located atop the Nilgiris. It is about 15 kilometres from Ooty.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh has briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will brief Parliament.
With inputs from PTI
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