Indian chief of defense, Bipin Rawat, died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday morning, the Indian Air Force confirmed in a tweet.
Additionally, Mr. Rawats’s wife, Madhulika Rawat, and 11 other people aboard the helicopter were also killed in the accident.
“It is with deep regret that General Bipin Rawat, Ms Madhulika Rawat and 11 other people on board have now been found to have been killed in the unfortunate accident,” the Indian Air Force tweeted.
The defense chief was on an official mission when the accident occurred.
“The Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) was visiting the Defense Services General Staff College, Wellington (Nilgiri Hills) to address the professors and official students of the General Staff Course today,” tweeted the country’s air force.
There was only one survivor of the accident, Varun Singh, and he was said to be receiving treatment at a hospital.
PREMIUM TIMES reported how the helicopter crashed in Tamil Nadu, a southern Indian state, on Wednesday morning.
“An IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter, with CDS Gen Bipin Rawat on board, encountered a crash today near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu,” the air force tweeted.
The air force did not provide any details on the cause of the accident.