Gen Bipin Rawat Chopper Crash: Air Marshal Manvendra Singh to Head Tri-Services Inquiry, Rajnath in Parliament | Full Statement

Mi-17V5 Chopper Crash: The Air Force Mi 17 V 5 helicopter took off from Sulur Air Base at 11:48 AM yesterday and was expected to land at Wellington by 12:15 PM. However, Air Traffic Control (ATC) at Sulur Air Base lost contact with the helicopter at approximately 12:08 PM.

Written by: India.com News Desk Edited by: Surabhi Shaurya

Updated: December 9, 2021, 12:21 PM IST

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https://www.india.com/news/india/gen-bipin-rawat-chopper-crash-air-marshal-manvendra-singh-to-head-tri-services-inquiry-defence-minister-in-parliament-read-full-statement-5130709/ Copy

New Delhi: A day after the tragic Mi-17V5 helicopter crash that led to the death of General Bipin Rawat, India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, his wife Madhulika and 11 other armed forces personnel, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed parliament and informed that Indian Air Force (IAF) has ordered a tri-service inquiry which will be led by Air Marshal Manavendra Singh. “CDS Rawat was on a scheduled visit to Defence Services Staff College, Wellington to interact with the student officers. The Air Force Mi 17 V 5 helicopter took off from Sulur Air Base at 11:48 AM yesterday and was expected to land at Wellington by 12:15 PM. However, Air Traffic Control (ATC) at Sulur Air Base lost contact with the helicopter at approximately 12:08 PM. Subsequently, few locals spotted a fire in the forest near Coonoor and rushed to the spot where they observed the wreckage of military helicopter engulfed in flames”, Singh said.

Air Marshal Manvendra Singh is heading the tri-services inquiry into the IAF Mi-17 that crashed yesterday. Singh is Commander of Indian Air Force’s training command and a helicopter pilot himself: IAF Officials pic.twitter.com/tzOBlxB6oF

— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2021

Here are the highlights from Rajnath Singh’s address

• “Group Captain Varun Singh is on life support in Military Hospital, Wellington. All efforts are being made to save his life”, the minister said in his statement in Lok Sabha on the military chopper crash. As per the reports, Singh, a Shaurya Chakra awardee has suffered severe burn injuries and being treated by a team of doctors. Sources have said that if required, he can be shifted from the Military Hospital, Wellington to the Command Hospital, Bangalore.
• The dead include the spouse of the CDS, Mrs Madhulika Rawat, his Defence Adviser Brig Lakhbinder Singh Lidder, Staff Officer Lt Col Harjinder Singh and nine other Armed Forces personnel including the Air Force helicopter crew. Their names are Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan, Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh, Junior Warrant Officer Rana Pratap Das, Junior Warrant Officer Arakkal Pradeep, Havildar Satpal Rai, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitendra Kumar, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar, Lance Naik B Sai Teja, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Parliament.
• Indian Air Force (IAF) has ordered a tri-service inquiry into the military chopper crash. The inquiry team reached Wellington yesterday itself and started the investigation
• The last rites of CDS General Bipin Rawat will be performed with full military honours. The last rites of other military personnel will be performed with appropriate military honours.

Read full statement of Rajnath Singh in Parliament

With profound grief and heavy heart, I stand to convey the unfortunate news of the crash of the military helicopter in the noon of 8th December 2021, with India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Bipin Rawat onboard.

Gen Bipin Rawat was on a scheduled visit to Defence Services Staff College, Wellington to interact with the student Officers. The Air Force Mi-17V5 helicopter took off from Sulur Air Base at 11:48 am yesterday and was expected to land at Wellington by 12:15 pm.

Air Traffic Control at Sulur Air Base lost contact with the helicopter at approximately 12:08 PM. Subsequently, few locals spotted a fire in the forest near Coonoor and rushed to the spot where they observed the wreckage of military helicopter engulfed in flames. Rescue teams from the local administration in the vicinity reached the site and attempted to recover the survivors from the crash site.

All those recovered from the wreckage were rushed to the Military Hospital, Wellington. Latest reports have confirmed that out of the total 14 persons onboard the ill-fated helicopter, 13 have succumbed to their injuries.

The dead include the spouse of the CDS, Mrs Madhulika Rawat, his Defence Adviser Brig Lakhbinder Singh Lidder, Staff Officer Lt Col Harjinder Singh and nine other Armed Forces personnel including the Air Force helicopter crew.

Their names are Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan, Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh, Junior Warrant Officer Rana Pratap Das, Junior Warrant Officer Arakkal Pradeep, Havildar Satpal Rai, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitendra Kumar, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar, Lance Naik B Sai Teja. Group Captain Varun Singh is on life support in the Military Hospital at Wellington and all efforts are being made to save his life.

A tri-Service enquiry regarding the incident has been ordered by Indian Air Force, headed by Air Marshal Manvendra Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Training Command.

The Chief of Defence Staff would be cremated with full military honours.

I, on behalf of the august House, pay homage to the deceased persons and express condolences to the bereaved families.