An Indian Air Force helicopter with Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat on board crashed on Wednesday near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. As many as 13 people, including Rawat and his wife has been killed, the IAF confirmed in a tweet.

The mishap happened reportedly due to low visibility owing to foggy conditions.

One person was being treated in hospital, ndtv.com said.

TV visuals showed the badly damaged chopper in flames, possibly under the impact of the crash. Apparently, a major tragedy was averted as the helicopter fell at some distance away from a human habitation, averting possible mass casualties.

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The accident site was a scene of despair with trees being reduced to broken pieces under the impact of the crash, flames from the chopper engulfing the wooden logs resulting in billowing smoke and personnel scurrying to douse the fire, including using buckets and water hose. What seemed to be some charred bodies were also seen lying around.

According to accounts of official sources and a local eyewitnesses here, the helicopter was flying at a low altitude in the foggy conditions when it crashed into a valley here, before falling through trees. Fire engulfed the helicopter by the time it landed on the ground.

Although it brushed a house during its fall, there was no human casualty or injury since the inmates were not at home. The building suffered damage in the episode. Two persons, who were ablaze, fell down from the helicopter, Perumal, an eyewitness said.

The mangled and burnt remains of the ill-fated IAF chopper were strewn along the site, even as rescue services personnel were seen carrying bodies in stretchers to be transported through waiting ambulances.

The accident site remained out of bounds for civilians.

Official sources in New Delhi said all the injured people on board the helicopter had been evacuated from the spot of the accident.

The copter crashed in Katteri-Nanchappanchathram area near here in the hilly Nilgiris district.

The helicopter, carrying a few senior officials, was on way to the Defence Services Staff College where Rawat, along with Chief of Army Staff MM Naravane, was slated to participate in an event later, the sources added.

Medical teams from nearby Coimbatore, including burns specialists, have also been sent to Coonoor to treat the injured.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Stalin in a tweet, said "I am deeply shocked & disheartened on hearing the army chopper with CDS General Bipin Rawat and 13 others has met with an accident near Coonoor."

"I've instructed the local administration to provide all the help needed in rescue operations even as I'm rushing to the spot," he said.