Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading

Lone survivor of Indian helicopter crash that killed defence chief dies

FILE PHOTO: People stand near the debris of the Russian-made Mi-17V5 helicopter after it crashed near the town of Coonoor in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India, December 8, 2021. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

The only survivor of last week's helicopter crash that killed Indian defence chief General Bipin Rawat and 12 aboard succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday, the air force said.

Group Captain Varun Singh was among the 14 people travelling in the Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter that burst into flames after ploughing into a hillside in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

Thirteen were declared dead soon after, including Rawat and his wife, but Singh survived and was placed on life support.

"The IAF offers sincere condolences and stands firmly with the bereaved family," it said on Twitter.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed sorrow at the death, adding, "He was a true fighter who fought till his last breath."

Singh was serving at the Defence Services Staff College in the cantonment town of Wellington, to which Rawat and his entourage were being ferried in the Russian-designed Mi-17 chopper that crashed around noon amid heavy fog.

As India's first chief of defence staff, Rawat, 63, led one of the world's largest armed forces.

The Indian Air Force has ordered an inquiry into the accident.

(Reporting by Devjyot Ghoshal; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Clarence Fernandez)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.