India's major military aviation disasters & all you need to know about them

An Indian Air Force chopper carrying Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat crashed near Cooor, Tamil Nu, on Wednesday, December 8.  Mi-17 V5 helicopter was carrying 14 people, 13 of whom have died, including CDS Bipin Rawat and his wife Mhulika.  only survivor of accident, according to IAF, is Group Captain Varun Singh. He is on life support at Wellington's Military Hospital. 

However, it is t first time a military aircraft has gone down. re have been numerous instances in past where military aircraft have crashed due to an ing fleet or technical issues. dreful event that occurred on Wednesday serves as a dismal reminder of previous military aviation mishaps. It also highlights India's major problem with military aviation disasters, which have resulted in multiple deaths involving top military personnel. 

Bhutan air crash bears striking similarities to Cooor's

Cooor's terrible episode bears striking similarities to an incident that occurred more than three deces ago. In 1993, a senior Indian Army officer was killed in a helicopter crash that also involved a Mi-17 helicopter, verse wear, and officer's wife. Eastern Command chief Lt. Gen. Jameel Mahmood, his wife, Military Assistant Col M.N. Ahmed, Lt Lakshman Tyagi, orderly Naik G. Thyagarajan, his personal bodyguard Havildar S. Vasudevan, and IAF crew died in a helicopter crash in Sikkim in May 1993.

58 years ago, 6 military leers killed in Alouette chopper crash

Almost 58 years ago, in a similar high-profile case, on vember 22, 1963, six prominent military leers were killed in an Indian Air Force Alouette chopper crash near Poonch. Lieutenant General Daulat Singh, Lieutenant General Bikram Singh, Air Vice Marshal EW Pinto, Major General KND Nanavati, Brigier SR Oberoi, and Flight Lieutenant SS Sodhi were among officers who were killed in air crash.

Devon Disaster

crash of CDS chopper also serves as a reminder of February 1952 Devon disaster, which nearly killed entire Indian Army's high command, including two future chiefs. Lieutenant General SM Shrinsh and Major General KS Thimayya survived crash and later went on to become army chiefs. Miraculously, one died in crash. pilot, Lieutenant Suhas Biswas, was granted country's highest peacetime gallantry award, Ashoka Chakra, for his heroics and exceptional presence of mind, which saved lives of everyone on board. It was first Ashoka Chakra awarded by Indian Air Force. Biswas died a few years later in a Dakota crash in Nilgiri hills.

Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh, former rrn Army commander, and eight ors were injured in a Dhruv vanced light helicopter crash in Poonch area in October 2019. Shrip Naik, n-Minister of State for Defence, h previously stated in July 2019 that re h been more than 10 accidents every alternate year in five years from 2014-15 and 2018-19, with a total of 46 soldiers who died in defence air crashes between 2014-15 and July 2019.

Here is a list of India's dely military aviation crashes from 2015 to 2021:

• December 2015 - A paramilitary jet carrying 10 Border Security Force (BSF) members crashed near Delhi airport, killing all 10.

• October 2017 - An Indian Air Force chopper crashed during a training sortie near Tawang, Arunachal Presh, killing at least seven persons.

• February 2019 - During a rehearsal for Aero India performance, two aircraft of Indian Air Force's aerobatic team Surya Kiran collided in mid-air, killing one pilot and injuring two ors who evacuated to safety.

• January 5, 2021 - MiG 21 Bison plane crashed during landing in Suratgarh, Rajasthan.

• March 17, 2021 - IAF group captain was killed in a mishap involving a MiG-21 Bison aircraft in Gwalior, Mhya Presh.

• May 20, 2021 - IAF pilot was killed in a MiG-21 plane crash in Punjab's Moga district.

• August 25, 2021 - Indian Air Force MiG-21 fighter plane crashed during a training operation in Rajasthan's Barmer.

• October 21, 2021 - Indian Air Force Mir 2000 aircraft on a training mission crashed in Mhya Presh's Bhind district.

Im: PTI