Iran Helicopter crash: President Ebrahim Raisi, all passengers dead
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Helicopter crash: Ebrahim Raisi, all passengers dead
All the passengers in the helicopter, including Raisi Hossein Amir-Abdollahian were reportedly killed in the crash. - REUTERS photo
TEHRAN: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi reportedly died after the helicopter he was riding in crashed in a mountainous area in northwest Iran.
According to Iranian news agencies, IRINN and Mehr News , no survivors were found at the crash site of the helicopter.
Reuters reports, an Iranian government official said that the missing helicopter was found 'completely burnt'.
The head of the Iranian Red Crescent said that the helicopter carrying the Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, had been found but that his condition was 'not good'.
"The helicopter has been found. Now, we are moving towards the helicopter," said Red Crescent chairman Pirhossein Koolivand, adding that the situation was not good.
Initial reports from search and rescue teams indicated that all passengers on board the helicopter, including Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, were killed in the crash.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society previously confirmed that it had arrived at the crash site after a Turkish drone detected an area in East Azerbaijan Province that was emitting heat.
Immediately, 73 teams, including a tracking dog unit, were deployed to the affected area but were faced with heavy rain and fog.
Earlier, the helicopter carrying Iran's President and Foreign Minister was reported to have had to make an 'emergency landing' in a mountainous area in northwestern Iran.
The incident happened on Sunday in the Dizmar Forest between the towns of Varzaqan and Jolfa in East Azerbaijan Province when Raisi was on his way back from a dam inauguration ceremony with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.
Local residents reported hearing a 'loud noise' in the area shortly afterwards.
Turkey's drone detects the area emitting heat
BREAKING: RESCUERS HAVE REACHED THE CRASH SITE OF THE PRESIDENT OF IRAN RAISI
— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) May 20, 2024
“The presence of the rescue team at the crash site of the helicopter carrying the president
Additional and Unfortunately, there is a possibility of martyrdom of all the passengers of the helicopter.“ pic.twitter.com/4whDrc3iHZ
