According to Outlook India, the Chief of Defence Staff, Bipin Rawat, was also on board. According to top officials in Tamil Nadu, four have been found dead.

“In what will come across as a really terrifying development, an army helicopter carrying senior defence officials has crashed in the Nilgiri district of Tamil Nadu in India on Wednesday.

The helicopter was flying from Sulur Airbase to Wellington. 14 personnel including senior officials, were on board.

According to Outlook India, the Chief of Defence Staff, Bipin Rawat, was also on board. According to top officials in Tamil Nadu, four have been found dead. 

A team of doctors is rushing from Coimbatore to assist the military. The accident occurred happened at Nanjappanchathiram area amid heavy mist and early visuals showed the helicopter in flames. 

The IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter, with CDS Gen Bipin Rawat on board, met with the accident near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu.

An Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.

The Indian Air Force confirmed the presence of Bipin Rawat on board the aircraft. However, no immediate information on the condition of Gen Rawat is available. The army chief was on his way to the Defence Staff College in Wellington.

The IAF said that a Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the accident. The officials were travelling in an Mi-17VH chopper that took off from the Sulur IAF Station in nearby Coimbatore.

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