The Indian Air Force (IAF) reported on Wednesday that Group Captain Varun Singh was the lone survivor of the Mi-17V5 helicopter crash near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, that killed India's Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat.
According to an official statement from the IAF, Singh is the only person who survived the IAF chopper accident out of a total of 14 persons. He is currently receiving treatment at the Military Hospital in Wellington, Tamil Nadu.
President Ram Nath Kovind awarded Group Captain Singh the Shaurya Chakra on this year's Independence Day for preserving his LCA Tejas fighter aircraft during an emergency in October 2020. He is a member of the Defence Services Staff College (DSSCdirecting )'s staff in Wellington, Tamil Nadu.
The 14 passengers on board the chopper were Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, and 11 other military personals. Rest has been Declared dead.