Iran helicopter carrying president crashes
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter crash has sent shockwaves through the region. Here’s what we know so far:
Incident Overview
- Date: May 19, 2024
- Location: Dizmar Protected Area, Iran’s East Azerbaijan province
- Weather Conditions: Sudden bad weather in the Dizmar area is believed to have contributed to the accident.
- Key Figures on Board:
- President Ebrahim Raisi
- Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian
- Also East Azerbaijan Province Governor Malek Rahmati
- Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem (representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to East Azerbaijan)
Timeline of Events
- Initial Reports:
- Social media and local news outlets first also reported a helicopter crash in the president’s convoy.
- State-linked Mehr news website initially stated that Raisi had opted to travel by car due to foggy weather conditions and was safe.
- However, state television later confirmed that the missing helicopter was carrying Raisi and other officials.
- The Crash:
- The helicopter experienced a “hard landing,” a term used when an aircraft lands harder and faster than normal due to weather, pilot errors, or mechanical issues.
- The exact cause of the hard landing is still under investigation.
- Search and Rescue:
- Emergency crews are searching for Raisi in a remote area near the Dizmar Protected Area.
- Twenty rescue teams and also drones have been deployed to locate the wreckage.
- Background:
- Raisi was returning from Iran’s border with Azerbaijan, where he and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev inaugurated a cooperative dam project.
- The project also signifies warming relations between the two countries.
- Where It Fell:
- Initially reported near Jolfa (a city on the border with Azerbaijan), the crash site was later corrected to be farther east near the village of Uzi.
- The Dizmar Protected Area serves as a wildlife corridor across the Iran-Azerbaijan border.
Ongoing Investigation
Information is gradually emerging, but the search continues for President Raisi and the other passengers. The sudden bad weather in Dizmar remains a critical factor in this tragic incident. As the world watches, Iranian authorities work tirelessly to uncover the full details surrounding this helicopter crash.
