Leader Online Desk: A helicopter carrying Iran's President Ibrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabadolhian had an accident on Sunday (19). Meanwhile, the wreckage of the crashed helicopter was found in the mountainous area and it was completely burnt. No survivors have been found at the helicopter crash site, Iran's state media confirmed on Monday.
“There were no signs that the passengers in the helicopter were still alive at the scene,” Iran's official state TV said. Rescue teams found the crashed helicopter after several hours of searching in the mountainous terrain despite adverse weather conditions. This helicopter is completely destroyed. President Ibrahim Raisi's helicopter was completely burnt in the accident, an official told Reuters news agency.
The helicopter crashed in Jolfa in the country's north-western mountainous region on Sunday. The incident took place when Raisi and some others were returning from a tour of Iran's border with Azerbaijan.
Official news agency of the Iranian government IRNA released footage of the helicopter crash site early Monday morning. In it, a helicopter can be seen crashing in a high valley in the green mountain range. “It is there, we have found it,” said the jawan, speaking in the local language.
Shortly after, state TV reported that “no one in the helicopter appeared to have survived.” There were a total of 9 people in the helicopter. They included President Ibrahim Raisi, Abdullahian, three Iranian officials, an imam and members of the security forces, CNN reported, citing Iranian media. One of the three officials was the governor of East Azerbaijan Province, Malek Rahmati.
Rescue work in dense fog and extreme cold
After the helicopter crash, search operations continued overnight and day in East Azerbaijan province in adverse weather conditions of thick fog and extreme cold. Turkey's 'Akinci' drone was sent to assist in the rescue operation. He discovered the wreckage of the helicopter, reports The Telegraph. At one point, rescue teams were dispatched to an area known as 'Tawil' where something was burning, Iranian media said. The footage captured by a Turkish drone has been shared with Iranian authorities.
Apart from Turkey, Russia also plans to send a special aircraft and 50 rescuers to the site to help in the search operation. Two special Russian helicopters will be dispatched from Armenia to the scene, IRNA reported. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered to help Iran.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister died when their helicopter crashed as it was crossing mountain terrain in heavy fog, reports Reuters citing an Iranian official. pic.twitter.com/CwXwrR53ge
— ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2024
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