CDS Bipin Rawat chopper crash: Ill-fated Mi-17VH helicopter's black box found

Coonoor: The black box of the ill-fated IAF helicopter which crashed near here yesterday, snuffing out the lives of India's first Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others, were found on Thursday morning.

Official sources said the black box were found in the dense forest area of Nachapurachathiram near the crash site at Katteri.

Senior military officials have taken possession of the black box which was taken to the Defence Service Staff College in Wellington and handed over to the officials.

Meanwhile, the bodies of the Gen Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 others, draped in National flag, were brought in a flower bedecked military vehicle and lined up at the college premises for the dignitaries to pay their last respects.

Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, senior military officials, Tamil Nadu Ministers K N Nehru, M P Saminathan and Ramachandran, Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu and DGP C Sylendra Babu and senior police officials paid homage to the mortal remains of the chopper victims.

Later, the bodies will be taken to Sulur air base from where they would be carried in a special IAF aircraft to New Delhi for last rites.

A team of officials from the Tamil Nadu Forensic department inspected the crash site Thursday morning and collected remnants from the spot.

The IAF has ordered a high level inquiry into the crash which took place shortly after it took off from Sulur air base en route to Wellington. (UNI)