IAF chopper crash updates: Mortal remains of CDS Rawat to reach Delhi tomorrow

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 11 others on board an Indian Air Force (IAF) chopper died in a crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday.

Gen Rawatwas on a visit to the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington (Nilgiri Hills) to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course today, the IAF said. Group Captain Varun Singh is the sole survivor of the tragedy. He is undergoing treatment with injuries at a military hospital in Wellington, the IAF added in a series of tweets.

Live updates:

- Mortal remains of Rawat and his wife along with other personnel of the armed forces personnel killed in the crash is expected to arrive in Delhi by Thursday evening.

- A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security was held in the wake of the mishap. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the meeting that was also attended by defence minister Rajnath Singh, national security advisor Ajit Doval, Home Minister Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman and others.  

- At the meeting, all members observed two minutes of silence and paid tributes to all those who lost their lives in the chopper crash.

- Expressing his grief, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “I am deeply anguished by the helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu in which we have lost Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and other personnel of the Armed Forces. They served India with utmost diligence. My thoughts are with the bereaved families.” 

- Defence minister Rajnath Singh said, "“Deeply anguished by the sudden demise of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 other Armed Forces personnel in an extremely unfortunate helicopter accident today in Tamil Nadu. His untimely death is an irreparable loss to our Armed Forces and the country,”

- A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security will be held at 6.30pm today.

- Defence minister Rajnath Singh is likely to issue Parliament on the chopper crash on Thursday.

- Army chief General MM Naravane has briefed Singh about the mishap.

- Singh is monitoring the situation and is said to have briefed PM Modi about the crash. 

- The defence minister paid a visit to Rawat's residence in Delhi.

- An inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said on its official Twitter handle.

- Wing commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan was the pilot of the ill-fated Mi-17V5. He is the commanding officer of the 109 Helicopter Unit.

Also read | Politicians pray for well-being of General Bipin Rawat, others

- TN chief minister MK Stalin to leave for crash site. 

- According to PTI inputs, four bodies have been found, while three injured persons were rescued from the crash site.

- The bodies found at the site of the crash (between Coimbatore and Sulur) have been taken to the government hospital in Coonoor.

- Some of the rescued are also being taken to the military hospital in Wellington, Tamil Nadu, an ANI input said quoting sources.

- According to passenger details, besides Rawat and his wife, Brig LS Lidder, Lt Col Harjinder Singh, NK Gursewak Singh, NK Jitendra Kr, L/Naik Vivek Kumar, L/Naik B Sai Teja and Hav Satpal

- Latest reports suggested 14 passengers were on board from Sulur to Wellington. Rescue operation is still on with local police and the Army. 

- Eight ambulances are on the spot. 

- While there is no official word on injuries sustained by the occupants of the IAF’s new Mi-17 V5 helicopter, images available from the site revealed some of the passengers have suffered grievous injuries.