The black box of the crashed helicopter was found on Thursday,according to multiple India's news agencies citing defense officials.
Firemen and rescue workers stand next to the debris of an IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter crash site in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, India, on December 8, 2021. /CFP
India's Chief of Defense Staff Gen.Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 other people were killed on Wednesday in the helicopter crash near Coonoor municipality in Tamil Nadu.
The crash left just one survivor, group captain Varun Singh, who suffered serious burn injuries and is currently in hospital.
According to Indian news reports, there have been roughly 49 military aircraft crashes in India between 2013 and 2021, an average of 5.4 per year, with six crashes already this year and three pilots killed in the last five crashes.
Over the years, Indian military aircraft crashes have occurred frequently. A report provided by the Indian Ministry of Defense to the Indian Parliament in 2018 explains that the main causes of Indian military aircraft crashes are human error, mechanical failure, design flaws, and weather.
