A tri-services inquiry team is expected to make a presentation to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday on the reasons behind the Mi-17V5 chopper crash that resulted in the death of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, his wife and other military personnel.
According to an ANI report, the chopper carrying CDS General Bipin Rawat was flying at a low altitude and was following a railway track. The crew reportedly decided to fly out of a sudden cloud cover that emerged en-route. The report further said that the entire crew was ‘master green’ category, meaning, among the best of pilots in the transport aircraft fleet, who can even land the chopper in low-visibility situations.
“The chopper was flying at a low altitude and knowing the terrain, it is emerging that the crew decided to fly out of the cloud cover rather than landing and hit a cliff in the process,” sources were quoted as saying in the agency report.
Further, no distress calls were made to nearby stations, which suggests that the crew is unlikely to have noticed any emergency situation. The inquiry was headed by an Indian Air Force (IAF) officer. According to a report by news agency ANI, a senior Navy chopper pilot and an Army officer were also a part of the inquiry.
“The inquiry team along with the Indian Air Force top brass is scheduled to make the detailed presentation in the crash and its reasons to the Defence Minister along with other senior functionaries of the ministry on Wednesday,” sources were quoted as saying by the agency.
