Chennai, Dec 8, 2008 : A man who lives close to the crash site of an Indian Air Force (IAF), helicopter carrying CDS Gen Bipin and 14 others, reported seeing 12 bodies scattered around the accident site. According to the IAF, India’s first Chief Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Bipin, his wife and 11 other people were killed in a crash of their IAF Mi-17 helicopter near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris District.
“With deep regret, it is now established that Gen Bipin Rawat, Madhulika Rawat, and 11 other passengers have died in an unfortunate accident,” the IAF stated in a tweet.
Ravi, an eyewitness, stated that two people, who had suffered severe burn injuries, were rescued by the ill-fated helicopter but were still struggling for their lives.
Ravi, who lives near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu told IANS that he heard a loud noise and saw the helicopter in flames.I ran to the scene with a few residents and found 12 bodies charred.
We rescued two people, but they were still struggling for their lives.They were taken by ambulance to Wellington Army Hospital.
Gen Rawat was one of the 14 people who oarded the ill-fated helicopter.
The 14-person chopper took off from the Sulur Air Base near Coimbatore, and was headed for Coonoor.
The chopper was just minutes from landing when it crashed into a tree and caught fire.
He said, “We knew they were Army officers, but didn’t know that General Rawat was in a helicopter.”
Krishna Moorthy was a farmer who was also with Ravi.He said that the sound was so loud that it made me feel the earth cracking and then suddenly saw the helicopter coming down.
Two people we saved had very little life left.
He stated that the two rescuers were rescued by the locals.
Then, the Tamil Nadu Fire, Tamil Nadu Police, and Army officials arrived at the spot and transferred the bodies to Wellington hospital.
Sukumaran, a local journalist told IANS: “The past week’s weather conditions were very bad and it was full with mist.Today, the weather conditions were very poor.It was only 87km from Sullur’s airforce base to Wellington’s Defence station.
The CDS was scheduled to give a talk at the Wellington Staff College at 2.30 p.m.for the young cadet officers.
aal/pgh
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