Probe into IAF chopper crash that killed CDS Rawat likely to conclude in 2 weeks: Sources

The tri-services inquiry set up by the Defence Ministry to probe the reasons behind the chopper crash, wherein Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and 13 others lost their lives, is expected to complete its proceedings within the next two weeks, sources informed Republic on Thursday. As part of the said inquiry headed by Indian Air Force (IAF) officer Air Marshal Manvendra Singh, statements of witnesses, which include the on-ground people near the crash site in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris district, are being recorded.

The tri-services inquiry is taking into consideration all aspects, including possible human error. The black box, comprising the flight data recorder (FDR) and the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) of the ill-fated Mi-17V5 helicopter of the Indian Air Force, which was recovered from the crash site, is also being checked. 

IAF chopper crash claims lives of 14 including Gen Rawat

In a tragic development, India's Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 12 other defence personnel were killed after an IAF Mi-17 V5 helicopter carrying 14 crashed in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor. The Chief of Defence Staff had left the Palam airbase in an IAF Embraer aircraft at 8:47 am and landed at Sulur airbase at 11:34 am. He took off from Sulur in a Mi-17V5 chopper at around 11:48 am for Wellington, and the chopper crashed at around 12:22 pm.

In its last communication before the crash, the helicopter had announced its descent in 7-8 minutes. However, thereafter all communications were lost. There were, as per sources, no distress calls made before the crash at the airbase.  

Those who passed away in the crash include - CDS Gen. Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, his Defence Adviser Brig Lakhbinder Singh Lidder, Staff Officer Lt Col Harjinder Singh, Wing Commander Prithvi Singh Chauhan, Squadron Leader Kuldeep Singh, Junior Warrant Officer Rana Pratap Das, Junior Warrant Officer Arakkal Pradeep, Havildar Satpal Rai, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitendra Kumar, Lance Naik Vivek Kumar, Lance Naik B Sai Teja.

Also, Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor of the crash passed away on Wednesday, a week after the crash.