New Delhi:  Air Marshal Manvendra Singh is heading the tri-services inquiry into the Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17 that crashed on Wednesday near Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. 

According to news agency ANI, Manvendra Singh is Commander of the Indian Air Force’s training command and a helicopter pilot himself.

The appointment of Manvendra Singh comes after the IAF centre a tri-service inquiry into the military chopper crash. The inquiry team reached Wellington on Wednesday itself and started the investigation.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in his statement in Lok Sabha said, "Indian Air Force (IAF) has ordered a tri-service inquiry into the military chopper crash. The investigation will be led by Air Marshal Manavendra Singh. The inquiry team reached Wellington yesterday itself and started the investigation".  

Read: https://24x7liveindia.com/rajnath-singh-issues-statement-on-cds-bipin-rawats-chopper-crash

In a tragic incident, the highest defence officer of India, India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Laxman Singh Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 others died in a chopper crash near Tamil Nadu's Coonoor in the Nilgiris on Wednesday. 

The chopper crashed shortly after it took off from the Air Force base in Sulur at 11.45 am, Coimbatore, for Wellington in the Nilgiri Hills.

General Bipin Rawat, is a four-star general of the Indian Army. He is the first and current CDS of India. On 30 December 2019, he was appointed as the first CDS of India and assumed office from 1 January 2020. Prior to taking over as the CDS, he served as 57th and last Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee as well as 26th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army.