Rajnath Singh to be briefed on CDS chopper crash inquiry today

Union defence minister Rajnath Singh will on Wednesday receive a briefing from the Indian Air Force (IAF) regarding reasons behind the Mi-17V5 chopper crash on December 8, in which the late Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, his wife and 12 other military personnel were travelling.

The tri-services inquiry team headed by an Indian Air Force officer will make a detailed presentation to Rajnath Singh, reported news agency ANI.

The team probing the chopper crash comprised a senior Indian Navy chopper pilot and an Army officer, the report quoted people familiar with the matter as saying.

ANI further reported that the tri-services inquiry team has also made some recommendations for revising the standard operating procedures while operating choppers carrying senior officials of the defence forces.

Also read | Review of VVIP flying protocols after probe report on CDS chopper crash

Among the many recommendations, it has been suggested that the crew should be a mix of master green and other category pilots. The 'Master green' category is given to the best of pilots in the transport aircraft and helicopter fleets of the three forces as they are the ones who can land or take off in low visibility as well.

General Rawat and the 13 others were killed in a Mi-17V5 crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. A PTI report quoting sources said that the crash was not a result of any technical error in the Mi-17V5 helicopter of the IAF. However, there is no official confirmation on it.