COIMBATORE:
Y Joe
alias
Kutty
, 52, who recorded a video of the
IAF Mi-17V5 helicopter
on Wednesday just before it crashed near Coonoor in the Nilgris district of Tamil Nadu, said bad weather and poor visibility might be the reason for the mishap. The chopper crash claimed the lives of Chief of Defence Staff
General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others.
Joe, a wedding photographer from Ramanathapuram in Coimbatore, visited the city police commissionerate on Friday morning with his friend H Nazar, 52, who is seen in the video.
H Nazar (left) and Y Joe alias KuttyThey said they had gone to Katteri locality near Coonoor for taking pictures. Joe noticed the chopper and recorded a video on his mobile phone.
Nazar of Karumbukadai in Coimbatore, who is running a printing press at Gandhipuram, and his family members were on a trip to Ooty on Wednesday. Joe accompanied them.
Live updates: Gen Bipin Rawat's last ritesAround 12.15 pm, they reached the mountain train track near Katteri where the family members had taken photographs and videos. "I heard the chopper's sound and started to record a video. It was a 19 seconds video. The chopper was flying steadily and disappeared into the mist. Within a few seconds, we heard a bang and thought that the chopper was crashed,'" said Joe.
Nazar said the area was covered in mist and the chopper disappeared into the mist. "We heard a bang. Our video is one of the main evidences for the chopper crash investigation," said Nazar.
They tried to climb the hill using the track. Meanwhile, police reached the spot and didn't allow them to proceed.
"After reaching Ooty, we tried to approach officials at the district collectorate and SP office. But we were not able to convey the message to the officials. We both returned to the spot and shared the message with officials there," said Joe.
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