On December 8, 2021, the Indian Air Force’s Mi-17V5 helicopter crashed in the Nilgiris near the city of Coonoor. This helicopter crash is another addition to the list of hazards that include VVIPs.
Important Current Affairs Points
- Chief of Defense Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 members of his personal staff were killed in a helicopter crash. The cause of the accident is not yet known.
- Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajapaksa was killed in a similar incident on September 2, 2009. Rajasekhara Reddy crashed into the hills near Kurnool. Subsequently, the pilot was pressured to proceed even when the weather was bad.
- On September 30, 2001, Madhava Rao Scindia, a former civil aviation minister, was forced to travel to Kanpur for a meeting in bad weather. The plane crashed and everyone died.
What does the Coonoor tragedy signify?
The crash near Coonoor indicated that the Mi-17V5 was flying low to avoid terrain. And then crashed into trees.
Who was General Bipin Rawat?
He was an Indian Army officer and the Four Star General of the Indian Army. Appointed as the first Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) of the Indian Armed Forces, he served as CDS from January 2020 until his death in December 2021. 26th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army.
A brief intro about Bipin Rawat military career
Bipin Rawat was commissioned in 1978 into the 5th Battalion of the 11 Gorkha Rifles. He had a lot of experience in high altitude warfare. For ten years he carried out anti-riot activities. He became a major and commander in a company in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir. He was also the commander of the 5th Battalion 11 Gorkha Rifles as a Colonel in the original Line of Control in Kibithu. In 2016, he was appointed the 27th Chief of Army Staff.
