India says cloudy weather led to helicopter crash that killed defence chief Bipin Rawat

NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Cloudy conditions due to unexpected weather led to the helicopter crash last month that killed the head of India's armed forces, General Bipin Rawat, and 13 others, the government said in a statement.

"The accident was a result of entry into clouds due to unexpected change in weather conditions in the valley," the government said, citing a preliminary investigation carried out by a Court of Inquiry set up by the country's armed forces.

Rawat was among the 14 people travelling in the Indian Air Force helicopter in December that burst into flames after ploughing into a hillside in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

The Russian-made Mi-17V5 helicopter was on its way from an air force base to the army defense services college when it crashed near the town of Coonoor, a hill station in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

The helicopter lost contact with air traffic control seven minutes before it was supposed to land and it sent no distress call before it was found in flames in a forested area.

Rawat, 63, his wife and 11 others were killed on impact. The lone survivor, air force Capt. Varun Singh, died later during treatment.

Rawat was the most senior official in the Indian military and the first chief of defense staff, a position created by the government in 2019. He was also an adviser to the Defense Ministry.