ISLAMABAD: The top military leadership of Pakistan, on Wednesday, expressed condolences over the tragic helicopter crash in which Indian CDS, his wife along with 11 others died.

Expressing grief over the news, Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar wrote on Twitter: “General Nadeem Raza, CJCSC [and] COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa express condolences on tragic death of CDS General Bipin Rawat, his wife and loss of precious lives in a helicopter crash in India.”

Moreover, Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Baber Sidhu also expressed his condolences on the tragic death of Indian CDS Rawat.

India's defence chief, 12 others killed in chopper crash

The 63-year-old was travelling with his wife and other senior officers in the Russian-made Mi-17 chopper, which crashed near its destination in southern Tamil Nadu state. Footage from the scene showed a crowd of people trying to extinguish the fiery wreck with water buckets, while a group of soldiers carried one of the passengers away on an improvised stretcher.

Rawat was headed to the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC) to address students and faculty from the nearby Sulur air force base in Coimbatore.

The chopper was already making its descent at the time of the crash.

It came down around 10 kilometres (six miles) from the nearest main road, forcing emergency workers to trek to the accident site.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021