Gen Bipin Rawat survived a helicopter crash in 2015

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, who suffered serious injuries in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor on Wednesday, had survived another helicopter crash six years back.

A Cheeta helicopter crashed soon after taking off from Dimapur, Nagaland on February 3, 2015.

Gen Rawat, then a lieutenant general, two pilots and a Colonel survived the crash, which happened due to engine failure.

Rawat, his wife and other defence personnel were onboard an Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17V5 helicopter that crashed in Nilgiri Hills minutes before its scheduled landing. The mishap happened reportedly due to low visibility due to foggy conditions.

There was no immediate information on the condition of Gen Rawat, even as the IAF said a Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the accident, involving a Mi-17VH choppper that took from the Sulur IAF Station in nearby Coimbatore.

(This story was first published on The Week)