General Bipin Rawat, Wife Among 13 Killed In Chopper Crash

General Bipin Rawat, India's first Chief of Defence Staff, and his wife were killed today when a military chopper crashed in Tamil Nadu, killing all 13 people on board. The only survivor, an Air Force Group Captain, is recovering from severe burns.

"It has now been confirmed, with deep regret, that Gen Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat, and 11 other persons on board died in the unfortunate accident," the Indian Air Force (IAF) tweeted.

In January 2019, General Rawat, 63, was appointed as India's first Chief of Defence Staff. The position was created to integrate the three services (Army, Navy, and Air Force).

The Chief of Defence Staff is the Permanent Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and, in addition to providing impartial advice to the political leadership, is the main military adviser to the Defence Minister.

Group Captain Varun Singh, the only survivor is being treated at the military hospital in Wellington, according to the Air Force.

The helicopter crashed shortly after taking off from the Air Force base in Sulur, Coimbatore, at 11.45 a.m., bound for Wellington.

The General was on his way to Wellington to address the faculty and students at the Defence Services Staff College.

It was on its way down and would have landed in 10 minutes if it hadn't come down just 10 kilometres from a road. The Air Force has launched an investigation into what occurred.

Rescuers struggled through smoke and fire to find bodies in videos that showed steaming wreckage scattered on a hillside. Charred bodies were discovered beneath mangled metal and downed trees.