NEW DELHI, Dec 8: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has asked Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari to reach the military aircraft crash site in Tamil Nadu where the chopper carrying Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat met an accident on Wednesday.
Singh is also monitoring the situation and a meeting of senior ministry of defence officials is underway.
The Defence Minister has also briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the crash.
A military chopper crashed in Tamil Nadu’s Coonoor in which General Bipin Rawat along with wife and team was travelling to Wellington to give a lecture.
The number of casualties are still unknown and local police has ascertained only three rescued and searches are on for others.
Along with General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, Brigadier L.S. Lidder, Lieutenant Colonel Harjinder Singh, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitender Kumar, Naik Vivek Kumar, Naik B. Sai Teja, Havaldar Satpal and pilots.
Confirming about General Rawat’s presence, Indian Air Force tweeted, “An IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter, with CDS Gen Bipin Rawat onboard, met with an accident today near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu.”
The force said that an inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.
The rescued people suffered serious injuries and have been taken to Wellington cantonment.
IANS