Defence Minister Rajnath Singh: Inquiry has started into Coonoor helicopter crash

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated in Parliament that inquiry has started into the helicopter crash in which Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and 12 others died. "The last rites of CDS General Bipin Rawat will be performed with full military honours. The last rites of other military personnel will be performed with appropriate military honour," said Rajnath. "Group Captain Varun Singh is on life support in Military Hospital, Wellington. All efforts are being made to save his life."

According to multiple reports, Air Marshal Manvendra Singh is heading the tri-services inquiry into the crash yesterday. Singh is Commander of Indian Air Force's training command and a helicopter pilot himself.

Defence forces today had retrieved the Flight Data Recorder, more popularly known as 'black box', of the crashed chopper. The black box was retrieved in the wake of authorities expanding the search area from 300 metres to one km from the accident spot. The black box would provide crucial data on the chain of events leading to the tragedy on the hills the Mi-17VH helicopter crashed and went up in flames, leaving only one survivor.

Rawat was on his way to the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington to address the faculty and student officers of the staff course when the fatal mishap happened in the Katteri-Nanchappanchathram area.