Chopper Crash: Group Captain Varun Singh succumbed to his injuries today.
Condolences poured in as Group Captain Varun Singh, who was rescued after the tragic helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu that killed Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and 12 others, died of his injuries today.
Group Captain Singh was undergoing treatment at a military hospital in Bengaluru. With his death, all the 14 people aboard the helicopter that crashed last Wednesday are now dead.
President Ram Nath Kovind said the nation is grateful to the Air Force officer and that he "displayed the soldierly spirit of valour and indomitable courage".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "extremely anguished" by the Air Force officer's death and that "his rich service to nation will never be forgotten".
Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted that he was "deeply pained" by the news and expressed condolences with Group Captain Singh's family.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said Group Captain Singh was "a true fighter who fought till his last breath" and says the country stands firmly with the family in this hour of grief.
Opposition party Congress tweeted its condolences from its official Twitter handle. "A billion salutes to this brave son of Bharat Mata," it said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said this is a "sad moment for the country".
The Indian Air Force today informed that Group Captain Varun Singh had succumbed to his injuries, describing the officer as a braveheart.
The Air Force officer had won the Shaurya Chakra in August for his feat of safely landing a Tejas fighter aircraft after it was hit by a snag during a sortie last year.
A day before the crash, he had gone to Sulur to receive General Rawat and escort him to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington where the Chief of Defence Staff was to address a gathering.