NEW DELHI: A Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and about a dozen officers on board has crashed near Coonoor in the Nilgiri hills of Tamil Nadu Wednesday.

The IAF posted on its official handle informing the crash, "An IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter, with CDS Gen Bipin Rawat on board, met with an accident today near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. An Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident."

The latest television visuals from the spot where the chopper has crashed show that debris of the totally damaged chopper was in totally charred conditions which are most possibly due to the fire on impact which would have inflicted third-degree burns on the passengers and crew.

The trees around the crash site were uprooted and locals are seen throwing water on the debris with buckets to douse the fire and what seemed to be some charred bodies were also seen lying around.

Although no official statement has been issued by any agency on the survivors or their condition. According to a report by news agency PTI, Nilgiris Collector S P Amrith has said that at least 13 of the 14 occupants of the helicopter died in the crash, however, there was no immediate information on the condition of General Rawat.

Several ministers and politicians have tweeted and wished for the well-being and safety of Rawat and others on board. Union minister Nitin Gadkari said he was shocked to hear about the tragic crash of a helicopter. 'I pray for everyone's safety, wellbeing,' he tweeted while Civil Aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said he was distressed to hear the news of the crash of an Army helicopter carrying CDS Rawat and other senior Army officials.