New Delhi: The crash of Mi-17V-5 helicopters, considered extremely reliable and are the workhorses of the Air Force, in which Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat and several members of his family have been confirmed dead, has perplexed the experts, who said the flight from Sulur to Wellington did not involve complications.
The Indian Air Force has already ordered an inquiry into the crash.
According to the local administration in Tamil Nadu, at least 13 people were dead. A sole survivor is being treated for 90 per cent burn injuries. The rescue operation is officially over, said officials.
General Bipin Rawat’s wife, his Defence Assistant, security commandos and Indian Air Force personnel were reportedly among the 14 on board in a Mi-17 V5 chopper that “met with an accident today near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu,” an Air Force officer said.
The Mi-17V-5 is the latest twin-engine iteration of the Russian-made Mi-17 transport helicopter and is used regularly for high-altitude operations. One of the most advanced military transports that can be used in any topography and weather, it is one of the most powerful choppers used by Indian defence forces.
India owns a fairly large fleet of these helicopters that were purchased and inducted between 2013 and 2018.
Most experts have described the chopper as a “very reliable, safe, stable, and large” helicopter that is also used to ferry VIPs, including the President and the Prime Minister.
According to information available on the website of Rosoboronexport — the Russian arms supplier — the chopper is designed to “carry personnel, cargo and equipment inside the cargo cabin or on an external sling, drop tactical air assault forces and reconnaissance and sabotage groups, destroy ground targets and carry the wounded”.
“Its armament system includes unguided rockets (up to 80 S-8 80mm unguided aerial rockets), cannons (suspended pods with 23mm cannons and 250 rounds each) and small arms,” the website says.
With inputs from NDTV
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