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The President is the Supreme Commander of the armed forces.
Official sources said Singh will brief President Kovind about the accident as well as the situation arising out of it.
In a statement in Parliament, Singh said a tri-services inquiry led by Air Marshal Manavendra Singh, the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Training Command, has started an investigation into the helicopter crash.
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”Subsequently, a few locals spotted a fire in the forest near Coonoor and rushed to the spot where they observed the wreckage of military helicopter engulfed in flames,” he said.
The defence minister said rescue teams from the local administration in the vicinity reached the site and attempted to rescue the survivors. ”All those recovered from the wreckage were rushed to the military hospital, Wellington. Latest reports have confirmed that out of the total 14 persons on board the ill-fated helicopter, 13 have succumbed to their injuries,” he said.
Besides Gen Rawat, the dead included his wife Madhulika Rawat, his Defence Adviser Brig Lakhbinder Singh Lidder, Staff Officer Lt Col Harjinder Singh and nine other armed forces personnel. The defence minister said Group Captain Varun Singh is on life support in the military hospital at Wellington and all efforts are being made to save his life. ”The Chief of Defence Staff would be cremated with full military honours,” he said.