Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi in helicopter ‘crash’, condition unknown
A helicopter carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi is missing after “an accident” in poor weather conditions on Sunday, state media reported, with a search underway and his condition currently unknown.
“An accident happened to the helicopter carrying the president” in the Jofa region of the western province of East Azerbaijan, state television said.
Search and rescue team were headed to the remote mountain area, state media in the Islamic republic reported, adding that Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was also aboard the aircraft.
“The harsh weather conditions and heavy fog have made it difficult for the rescue teams to reach the accident site,” state TV said in an on-screen news alert.
A helicopter in the convoy of the Iranian president was involved in “an accident” in East Azerbaijan province on May 19, state television reported. Picture: AFP.
Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said on state TV that the “president and company were on their way back aboard some helicopters and one of the helicopters was forced to make a hard landing due to the bad weather and fog”.
“Various rescue teams are on their way to the region but because of the poor weather and fogginess it might take time for them to reach the helicopter,” he said, adding, “the region is a bit [rugged] and it’s making it difficult to make contact. We are waiting for rescue teams to reach the landing site and give us more information.”
Hours after news of the “hard landing” broke, state TV networks ceased their regular broadcasts and started showing footage of massive prayer gatherings breaking out around the country.
Live footage also showed crowds of worshippers reciting prayers in the holy Shrine of Imam Reza in the city Mashhad, Raisi’s hometown.
Red Crescent members leading the rescue effort could be seen scouring the mountainous terrain on foot with little visibility due to heavy fog.
Sunday’s accident happened in the mountainous protected forest area of Dizmar near the town of Varzaghan, said the official IRNA news agency.
Traffic is blocked on a highway in Tehran at sunset on May 19, 2024, as state TV reported that a helicopter carrying Iran’s president was involved in “an accident”. Picture: AFP.
Raisi, 63, was visiting the province Sunday where he inaugurated a dam project together with his Azeri counterpart, Ilham Aliev, on the border between the two countries.
His convoy included three helicopters, and the other two had “reached their destination safely,” according to Tasnim news agency.
IRNA said the foreign minister and local officials were travelling in the same helicopter as Raisi.
The reformist Shargh daily also reported that “the helicopter carrying the president crashed” while two other helicopters landed safely.
Later, Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said one of the helicopters “made a hard landing due to bad weather conditions” and that it was “difficult to establish communication” with the aircraft.
This is a developing story we will continue to keep you updated!
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