An Air Force helicopter crashed between Coimbatore and Sulur in Tamil Nadu this afternoon, killing Gen. Bipin Rawat, his wife, and 11 others.
The Indian Air Force confirmed the number of casualties in a statement posted on Twitter. Earlier today, flights from Delhi to Sulur took place.
In 2019, a new position of chief of the Indian armed forces staff was created, and Gen. Rawat was appointed to that position.
When the helicopter crashed, it was carrying the following passengers:
- Gen Bipin Rawat
- Madhulika Rawat
- Brig LS Lidder, SM,VSM
- Lt Col Harjinder Singh
- Wg Cdr PS Chauhan
- Sqn Ldr K Singh
- JWO Das
- JWO Pradeep A
- Hav Satpal
- NK Gursewak Singh
- NK Jitender Kumar
- Vivek Kumar
- L/Nk Sai Teja
The crash site in the Niligiri Hills is difficult to reach because it is located in a densely forested area. As the wreckage was strewn across the hillside, rescue workers were seen working in the thick smoke and flames.
