NEW DELHI: An eyewitness has come forward with some crucial revelation on the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of thirteen including Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and his wife. Eyewitness Sahayaraj said the helicopter which caught fire did not fall down but caught fire only after hitting the branch of a tree.

He said the flames hampered rescue operations. Sahayaraj told a private channel that the rescue operations started an hour later. Sahayaraj has given a statement to the investigation team.

Krishnasamy, an eyewitness, said that he first saw four fireballs falling through the fog. He also revealed that the helicopter and all the passengers were on flames.