This defence chopper was carrying senior Defence officials including the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, Defence Assistant, security commandos and IAF pilots.
Fourteen persons were on board the ill-fated helicopter. They included Brig LS Lidder, Lt Col Harjinder Singh, NK Gursewak Singh, NK Jitendra Kr, L/Naik Vivek Kumar, L/Naik B Sai Teja and Hav Satpal, reported news agency ANI.
The Indian Air Force tweeted, "An IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter, with CDS General Bipin Rawat on board, met with an accident today near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. An Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident."
