Group Captain Varun Singh, lone survivor in IAF chopper crash, dies

Bengaluru: Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor of the IAF chopper crash in Tamil Nadu passed away at the hospital. He was undergoing treatment at Command Hospital in Bengaluru.

The Indian Air Force confirmed the news and tweeted, "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."

IAF Group Captain Varun Singh was the lone survivor of the helicopter crash that killed Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, among others. The crash took place near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. 

Group Captain Varun Singh was conferred with the Shaurya Chakra in August for averting a possible mid-air accident after his Tejas light combat aircraft suffered a major technical glitch last year. 

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Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika and 11 armed forces personnel were killed in the Mi-17V5 helicopter crash in one of the biggest air accidents involving top military officials. "Group Captain Varun Singh is on life support in the military hospital at Wellington and all efforts are being made to save his life," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said earlier. But Singh succumbed to his injuries today. 

Group Captain Singh was on board the Russian-made chopper as the liaison officer for the visit of General Rawat, India's senior-most military officer, to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington. He was serving as an instructor at the prestigious institute.