Coonoor, Dec. 9 (Agencies)- Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, an Army Brigadier and ten others perished when an Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17V5 helicopter carrying them crashed into a heavily wooded area of the Coonoor ghat in the Nilgiris in western Tamil Nadu yesterday afternoon.

This morning, a team of Tamil Nadu Forensic Science Department headed by Director Srinivasan arrived at the crash site near Kattery in Coonoor. The black box of MI-17 chopper has been recovered. Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari has reached the site of the chopper crash.

The Flight Recorder, more popularly known as ‘Black Box’ has been recovered by IAF personnel from the spot. The recovery of the Black Box may help in understanding what led to the crash and would provide crucial data on the chain of events leading to the tragedy on the hills.

It is a vital electronic device that records 88 vital parameters about a flight including, airspeed, altitude, cockpit conversations, and air pressure among others. When a crash happens, the black box is located on a priority basis to understand what actually caused the crash. A Black Box is neither black in colour, nor box in shape, but is actually a compressor shaped device made in high-visibility orange colour.

Country’s foremost military officer

Belonging to a family of military officers and one of the most celebrated soldiers of his time, General Bipin Rawat took over as the CDS on Jan. 1, 2020 — the first to occupy the post that made him the country’s foremost military officer. Since his youth he was known for two things the most, the ability to come up with ideas and not being shy to express them.

As CDS, he ranked above the other four-star military officers heading the Navy, Air Force and Army, headed the Department of Military Affairs in the Defence Ministry, carving out responsibilities that were with the Department of Defence till then, and was the Principal Military Advisor to the Defence Minister on all matters related to the forces. The focus now shifts to the appointment of the next CDS.

The cause of the chopper crash, in which there is only one survivor, is being investigated. The Coonoor ghat rises steeply from Mettupalayam and the Coonoor river flows through the deep gorge with sheer cliff faces on both sides. Visibility was said to be limited on Wednesday.

Shortly past 6 pm, the Indian Air Force (IAF) confirmed that General Rawat, his wife and 11 others on board had died. Group Captain Varun Singh, Directing Staff at the DSSC, who survived with injuries, is under treatment at the Military Hospital, Wellington. He had come to Sulur to receive General Rawat and others.

Late in the evening, the Indian Army confirmed that Brigadier L.S. Lidder, Lieutenant Colonel H. Singh, Wing Commander P.S. Chauhan, Squadron Leader K. Singh, Junior Warrant Officer (JWO) Das, JWO Pradeep A., Havildar Satpal, Naik Gursewak Singh, Naik Jitender, Lance Naik Vivek and Lance Naik S. Teja were the other defence personnel killed in the crash.

Sources said that Wing Commander P.S. Chauhan, Commanding Officer of the 109 Helicopter Unit (the Knights) at Air Force Station, Sulur and Squadron Leader Kuldeep, piloted the crashed chopper.

As the Army’s 27th Chief, from Dec. 31, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2019, Gen. Rawat was known as a jovial, straight-talking officer who initiated studies to reorganise the Army and make it a leaner force, to make it fit for wars of the future. Another reform initiated by him was creation of Integrated Battle Groups, which are like bigger brigades, agile and self-sufficient in combat formations.

His elevation to lead the Army though was not without controversy, as he superseded two of his seniors to the role, a precedent repeated after 33 years. A gregarious man, he could be found smiling in the corridors of South Block. He wore his ranks and stars lightly, willing to speak up on topics that others of his stature would shy away from.