CDS chopper crash: Shaurya Chakra awardee and lone survivor Group Captain Varun Singh passes away
Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor of the Tamil Nadu chopper crash who was undergoing treatment at the Command Hospital in Bengaluru, passed away on Wednesday at the hospital.
Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and 12 others had died in the chopper crash that took place on the afternoon of December 8 near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu.
The Indian Air Force tweeted to inform about the sad development.
“IAF is deeply saddened to inform the passing away of braveheart Group Captain Varun Singh, who succumbed this morning to the injuries sustained in the helicopter accident on 08 Dec 21. IAF offers sincere condolences and stands firmly with the bereaved family.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences over the passing away of the braveheart.
“Group Captain Varun Singh served the nation with pride, valour and utmost professionalism. I am extremely anguished by his passing away. His rich service to the nation will never be forgotten. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti,” the PM wrote on Twitter.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted that he was pained beyond words to learn about the demise of IAF pilot, Group Captain Varun Singh. “He was a true fighter who fought till his last breath. My thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family and friends. We stand firmly with the family, in this hour of grief,” the minister tweeted.
Home Minister Amit Shah also tweeted: “Deeply pained to learn about the passing away of Group Captain Varun Singh, who was battling with the injuries after the helicopter accident in Coonoor. May God bless the Brave’s soul and give strength to his family. My deepest condolences. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.”
The Indian Army also expressed condolences: “General MM Naravane COAS & All Ranks of Indian Army pay heartfelt condolences on the demise of Group Captain Varun Singh, who succumbed this morning to the injuries sustained in the unfortunate helicopter accident in Coonoor on 08 Dec 21 (sic).”
Ever since the chopper crash in which he had sustained over 80 per cent burn injuries, Group Captain Varun Singh had been “critical but stable”.
He was shifted to the Command Hospital in Bengaluru last Thursday from a Wellington hospital in Tamil Nadu where he was initially admitted after the crash.
With Group Captain Varun Singh’s demise, all 14 onboard that ill-fated chopper have died. Apart from CDS Gen Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 11 armed forces personnel were killed on the day the Mi-17V5 helicopter crashed near Coonoor.
Group Captain Singh was a decorated officer who had boarded the Russian-made chopper as the liaison officer for the visit of the CDS. Gen Rawat, the country’s senior-most military officer, was travelling to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington.
Only in August this year, Group Captain Singh was conferred the Shaurya Chakra for preventing a possible mid-air accident after his LCA Tejas jet developed a major technical snag last year.
