The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M K Stalin on Thursday paid tributes to India's CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 11 other armed forces officials who lost their lives in the helicopter crash in Coonoor on Wednesday.
Nilgiris: The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M K Stalin paid tributes to the bodies of the 13 deceased at the Coonoor MRC army complex on Thursday.
The Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 other armed forces personnel were killed on Wednesday when an IAF chopper crashed in Coonoor. The helicopter reportedly lost control due to visibility issues caused by the fog near the Kattery mountain and crashed into a tree, with the chopper engulfed in flames.
14 members including the CDS General and his wife were traveling to the Wellington Defence College, near Coonoor on Wednesday from the Sulur Airbase in Coimbatore. 11 other army officers were killed in the crash while one soldier is at the Coonoor Army Hospital in a serious condition.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin arrived in Coonoor last night and held a 15 minute-discussion with top army officials at the Army Training College. He then left for a private hotel after paying his respects to the deceased.
Top army officials reached Wellington Army Hospital in the early hours on Thursday and expedited the process of placing the bodies of the deceased in coffins. Decorated Army trucks arrived at the hospital this morning. The soldiers' coffins were loaded onto the truck and were brought to the MRC ground for final respects.
The army officers first paid their tributes and were then followed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M K Stalin paying his tributes. The CM laid a wreath on the Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat in honour of his services and also paid his last respects to the others who died int he crash. Subsequently, the bodies of the deceased were taken to the Sulur Airbase in Coimbatore in trucks to be flown into the country's headquarters, Delhi.
