CDS Bipin Rawat no more: UN Secy-General Guterres mourns death of top Indian Army officer

In aftermath of tragic helicopter crash in Cooor district of Tamil Nu, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres mourned demise of India's first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat on Wednesday. Antonio Guterres' spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York that Guterres expresses his heartfelt condolences to bereaved families of deceased, to people and Government of India. 

It is imperative to mention that General Rawat served United Nations with distinction and same was commended globally. tably, he was Brige Commander of rth Kivu Brige of UN peacekeeping mission in Congo (MONUC) between 2008 and 2009. 

CDS General Bipin Rawat more

CDS General Bipin Rawat, Mhulika Rawat and 11 ors died in an IAF helicopter crash when 63-year-old along with his wife and staff was travelling to Wellington Staff College to deliver a lecture at 2:45 PM. All communications with IAF Mi-17 V5 chopper were lost just minutes before tragic crash between Coimbatore and Sulur in Tamil Nu. In fact, reports suggest that crash took place only 10 minutes away from destination helip. 

It was brought to fore by official sources that Chief of Defence Staff departed Palam airbase in an IAF Embraer aircraft at 8:47 AM and landed at Sulur airbase at 11:34 AM. Later, he took off from Sulur in a Mi-16V5 chopper at around 11:50 AM for Wellington. helicopter crashed at approximately 12:22 PM. In 2015, Late CDS Rawat h survived a helicopter crash six years ago while he was commuting with a Lieutenant General.

Lone survivor Wing Commander Varun Singh

Apart from CDS, ors on board included CDS' wife Mhulika Rawat, Defence Assistant to CDS Brigier LS Lidder, SO to CDS Lt. Col. Harjinder Singh, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitendra Kumar, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar, Lance Naik B Sai Teja and Havaldar Satpal. lone survivor, Wing Commander Varun Singh, who piloted chopper is currently battling for his life at a military hospital in Wellington.

mortal remains of all those who lost ir lives will be brought to Delhi tomorrow.  Indian Air Force has initiated an inquiry into crash and is searching for black box of chopper.