News Brief
"Human Error" Behind Mi-17 Crash That Killed CDS General Bipin Rawat, Says Parliamentary Panel Report
General Bipin Rawat.
Three years after the then chief of defence staff General Bipin Rawat died in a Mi-17 V5 helicopter crash near Tamil Nadu's Coonoor, a Parliamentary panel report has said that the crash happened due to "Human Error (Aircrew)".
General Bipin Rawat died in a Mi-17 V5 helicopter crash on 8 December 2021. A total of 12 people died in the crash, including General Rawat's wife, Madhulika Rawat. The helicopter crashed in the mountains near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.
A Standing Committee on Defence report tabled in the Lok Sabha this week stated that the Mi-17 crash, which took place on 8 December 2021, occurred because of "Human Error (Aircrew)", NDTV reported.
The Standing Committee report of the 18th Lok Sabha stated that during the 'Thirteenth Defence Period Plan' from Financial Years 2017 to 2022, a total of 34 IAF accidents took place.
During FY 2021-2022, a total of nine accidents took place and the one on 8 December 2021, was because of "Human Error (Aircrew)".
The Mi-17 V5, carrying General Rawat, his wife Madhulika, and 12 other armed forces personnel, had took off from Sulur Air Force base in Coimbatore.
It was en route to the Defence Staff Services College in Wellington when it crashed into the hills shortly before landing.
The crash claimed the lives of CDS General Rawat, his wife, and 11 others.
Group Captain Varun Singh, a Shaurya Chakra recipient and the sole survivor, succumbed to his injuries a week later while undergoing treatment.
