In the last five years, India has witnessed a total of 15 military helicopter accidents that led to the killing of 31 defence personnel. The last on the list is the Indian Air Force Mi-17V5 helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu's Coonoor in which all 14 crew and passengers on board, including the country's first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 12 others were onboard.

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The information was provided by Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt in the Lok Sabha on Friday. In these accidents, a total of 20 personnel were injured.

Four Advanced Light Helicopters, four Cheetahs, two ALH of weapon system-integrated versions, three Mi-17V5s, an Mi-17 and a Chetak belonging to three services, including the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy, met with accidents in the last five years.

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As per the details shared by the minister, seven helicopters each from the Indian Army and Indian Air Force were involved in crashes during the period. The Indian Navy lost only a Chetak helicopter and no lives were lost in that mishap.

Among the 31 personnel who were killed in these 15 accidents in the last five years, 14 were from the ill-fated helicopter ferrying Gen Rawat to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, Tamil Nadu.

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In reply to a query on the crash involving ALH Rudra (WSI) in Ranjit Sagar lake near Pathankot on August 3, the minister said there was no restriction on the helicopter flying over the water body. Lt Col A S Bath and Capt Jayant Joshi were killed after their Rudra-WSI helicopter crashed in the Ranjeet Sagar Dam on August 3. He further informed that low flying over water needs specific authorisation and that a Court of Inquiry is investigating the cause of the crash.

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