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| Bipin Rawat: India's topmost general's helicopter crashes | |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| The helicopter had just taken off from the army base in Sulur when it crashed | The helicopter had just taken off from the army base in Sulur when it crashed |
| An Indian army helicopter carrying India's topmost military official and his family has crashed in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. | An Indian army helicopter carrying India's topmost military official and his family has crashed in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. |
| Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat was travelling in an Mi-17V5 helicopter which crashed near Coonoor city. | Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat was travelling in an Mi-17V5 helicopter which crashed near Coonoor city. |
| It was not immediately known if Gen Rawat and his family were safe. Reports said there were 14 people on board. | It was not immediately known if Gen Rawat and his family were safe. Reports said there were 14 people on board. |
| A minister in the state government said five people had died and two others were critical. | |
| Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K Ramachandran said the rescue operation was underway and the injured, some with severe burns, were taken to hospital. | |
| Visuals from the crash site showed thick plumes of smoke billowing from the mangled remains of the helicopter and local people were seen trying to put out the fire. | Visuals from the crash site showed thick plumes of smoke billowing from the mangled remains of the helicopter and local people were seen trying to put out the fire. |
| #WATCH | Latest visuals from the spot (between Coimbatore and Sulur) where a military chopper crashed in Tamil Nadu. CDS Bipin Rawat, his staff and some family members were in the chopper. pic.twitter.com/6oxG7xD8iW | #WATCH | Latest visuals from the spot (between Coimbatore and Sulur) where a military chopper crashed in Tamil Nadu. CDS Bipin Rawat, his staff and some family members were in the chopper. pic.twitter.com/6oxG7xD8iW |
| The helicopter had just taken off from the army base in Sulur and was headed for Wellington town. | The helicopter had just taken off from the army base in Sulur and was headed for Wellington town. |
| Those on board included Gen Rawat's wife. | Those on board included Gen Rawat's wife. |
| The Indian Air Force said it had ordered an investigation into the accident. | The Indian Air Force said it had ordered an investigation into the accident. |
| Gen Rawat, 63, was appointed India's first-ever Chief of Defence Staff in January 2019. | Gen Rawat, 63, was appointed India's first-ever Chief of Defence Staff in January 2019. |
| Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is monitoring the situation and a meeting of senior officials is underway, news agency ANI reported. | Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is monitoring the situation and a meeting of senior officials is underway, news agency ANI reported. |
| Mr Singh has briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the crash and is due to address the parliament shortly where he is expected to provide more details, it added. | Mr Singh has briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the crash and is due to address the parliament shortly where he is expected to provide more details, it added. |
| Although the Mi-17V5 is among the most sophisticated military transport helicopters, India's ageing air force fleet is often blamed for a high number of air crashes. | Although the Mi-17V5 is among the most sophisticated military transport helicopters, India's ageing air force fleet is often blamed for a high number of air crashes. |
| In 2017, seven military personnel were killed in a crash in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. The helicopter was on a training sortie. | In 2017, seven military personnel were killed in a crash in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. The helicopter was on a training sortie. |
| A year before that, another of the helicopters had crashed immediately after take-off during a military drill in the northern state of Uttarakhand. No casualties were reported then. | A year before that, another of the helicopters had crashed immediately after take-off during a military drill in the northern state of Uttarakhand. No casualties were reported then. |