General Rawat’s Helicopter Was To Land At 12.15pm, ATC Lost Contact With It At 12.08pm

TPI Staff December 9, 2021

77 1 minute read

CDS Chopper Crash: Lone Survivor IAF Group Captain On Life Support, Says Rajnath Singh

Mumbai: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday told the Parliament that the helicopter, that crashed with Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and 13 others on board, took off from the Sulur Airbase at 11.48 am. Also Read: Black Box Of Helicopter That Crashed With General Bipin Rawat On Board Recovered

Recounting the timeline of the fatal crash, the defence minister said the chopper started at 11.48 am from Sulur and was supposed to reach the Wellington airbase at 12.15 pm. At around 12.08 pm, the Sulur base control room lost contact with the chopper. It was a scheduled visit, the defence minister said. Also Read: General Rawat’s Mortal Remains Brought To Madras Regimental Centre, TN CM Pays Tribute

After the accident, local people reached the spot after seeing the fire and started the rescue work. The local administration is engaged in rescue work. Taking the names of those who lost their lives in the accident, the Defense Minister said that the condition of Group Captain Varun Singh is critical as he is on life support. The Defense Minister said that every effort is being made to save his life.

In his statement, the Defense Minister announced a tri-services inquiry into the accident, which will be headed by Air Marshal Manvendra Singh, the Commander of the Training Command of the Indian Air Force and a helicopter pilot.

On Wednesday, immediately after the accident, Defense Minister went to the residence of Bipin Rawat. It was announced that he would issue statements in both houses of Parliament on Thursday.

India’s first CDS General Rawat was on a visit to the Defense Services Staff College in Wellington to address faculty and student officers of the Staff Course when his helicopter crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. General Rawat was appointed as India’s first Chief of Defense Staff on December 31, 2019.

He previously served as Chief of the Army Staff from January 2017 to December 2019. He was commissioned into the Indian Army in December 1978. A veteran of counterinsurgency warfare, CDS Rawat served in the most difficult terrains including Northern and Eastern commands.