IAF chopper crash: PM Modi chairs Cabinet Committee on Security meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting on Wednesday evening, informed the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). In the CCS meeting, all members observed two minutes of silence and paid tributes to all those who lost their lives in the chopper crash in Tamil Nadu.

The meeting was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

Earlier today, General Bipin Rawat, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), his wife Madhulika Rawat, and 11 other persons on board the Mi-17 V5 helicopter were killed after the aircraft crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.

As per the information, the Mi-17V5 chopper took off at 11:47 am from the Sulur IAF Station in nearby Coimbatore. The aircraft, carrying a few senior officials, was on its way from Sulur in Coimbatore to DSC in Wellington where Rawat, along with Chief of Army Staff MM Naravane, was slated to participate in an event later.

TV visuals showed the badly damaged chopper in flames, possibly under the impact of the crash. Apparently, a major tragedy was averted as the helicopter fell at some distance away from a human habitation, averting possible mass casualties.

The accident site was a scene of despair with trees being reduced to broken pieces under the impact of the crash, flames from the chopper engulfing the wooden logs resulting in billowing smoke and personnel scurrying to douse the fire, including using buckets and water hose. What seemed to be some charred bodies were also seen lying around.

(With agency inputs)