Tamil Nadu Timeline

DisasterContemporary Tamil Nadu

Helicopter crash near Coonoor kills General Bipin Rawat

· Coonoor

Helicopter crash near Coonoor kills General Bipin Rawat
Ministry of Defence, GODL-India · Wikimedia Commons

An Indian Air Force Mi-17V-5 crashed in the Nilgiris, killing Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat, his wife and 12 others.

On 8 December 2021 an Indian Air Force Mi-17V-5 helicopter flying from Sulur Air Force Station to the Defence Services Staff College at Wellington crashed near Coonoor. It was carrying Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife and staff, along with the crew. All on board died, Group Captain Varun Singh succumbing to his injuries a week later. The crash site was near the hamlet of Nanjappachatiram in Coonoor taluk.

Related events

  1. 2014

    1. 28 Jun 2014MoulivakkamDisaster

      Moulivakkam building collapse

      An eleven-storey apartment block under construction collapsed at Moulivakkam in Chennai, killing 61 people, mostly construction workers.

  2. 2015

    1. Nov 2015 to Dec 2015ChennaiDisaster

      2015 Chennai floods

      Extremely heavy north-east monsoon rains flooded Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Cuddalore, killing hundreds of people.

  3. 2017

    1. 30 Nov 2017Kanyakumari districtDisaster

      Cyclone Ockhi strikes Kanyakumari

      Cyclone Ockhi caused heavy damage in Kanyakumari district and many fishermen out at sea were lost.

  4. 2024

    1. 19 Jun 2024KallakurichiDisaster

      Kallakurichi illicit liquor deaths

      Methanol-laced illicit liquor killed more than 60 people in Kallakurichi district.

    2. 30 Nov 2024 to 1 Dec 2024ViluppuramDisaster

      Cyclone Fengal brings record rain to Viluppuram

      Cyclone Fengal crossed the coast near Puducherry and caused extreme rainfall, flooding and a landslide in northern Tamil Nadu.

  5. 2025

    1. 27 Sep 2025KarurDisaster

      Karur crowd crush at TVK rally

      A crowd crush at a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam campaign rally addressed by Vijay in Karur killed 41 people.

Open in the timeline explorer