A military helicopter carrying Indian defence chief General Bipin Rawat crashed near the town of Coonoor in southern India on Wednesday, the Indian Air Force said.
Two defence sources said they were currently trying to ascertain Rawat’s status.
“We don’t know yet,” one of the sources told Reuters. Both declined to be named.
Rawat was appointed as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in late 2019. The position was set-up with the aim of integrating India’s three services — the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.
The Air Force said that Rawat, who had previously served as India’s Chief of Army Staff, was traveling in an Mi-17V5 helicopter.
Video footage from Reuters partner ANI showed rescue workers dousing a steaming wreckage in a wooded area.
“An inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident,” the Air Force said in a tweet.
Follow us on:
Israeli PM Netanyahu faces potential arrest in the UK as Downing Street pledges to fulfill…
A second Australian teenager has died of suspected methanol poisoning in Laos, bringing to six…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFlFl1mPGC8 The arrest of self-proclaimed Prime minister of the Biafra Republic, Simon Ekpa who was…
Gatwick Airport's South Terminal was evacuated after a suspected prohibited item was found, prompting bomb…
Trump is considering Kevin Warsh for Treasury Secretary, with a future possibility of him becoming…
Hyundai has recalled 145,235 electrified vehicles in the US. due to potential loss of drive…