TEHRAN: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi dies in helicopter crash and no survivors found among people on board of the ill-fated chopper, Iranian State News Agency confirmed.
A helicopter carrying the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi crashed in the city of Jolfa on May 19, prompting massive search operations. The chopper has been found but local media says, there is ‘no clue of any living persons’ which directly implies that the Iran President has lost his life in the crash.
Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi, who was in that helicopter, along with the Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and East Azarbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati among other dignitaries.
Amid support from various countries and the European Union (EU) to locate the accident site, the helicopter and the passengers on board, there is an update that Iran President Ebrahim Raisi has died in the helicopter crash.
“Rescue teams identify President Ebrahim Raisi’s crashed chopper…No clue of any living persons in President Raeisi’s search following Sunday chopper crash”, Iranian media revealed.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi attends a meeting with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev on the Azerbaijan-Iran border, on Sunday May 19, 2024 (yesterday).
The accident occurred when Raisi was returning from his visit of East Azerbaijan province where he inaugurated a dam project in the company of his Azeri counterpart, Ilham Aliev, on the border between the two countries.
“The harsh weather conditions and heavy fog have made it difficult for the rescue teams to reach the accident site,” Irania media stated.
The head of Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), Pir Hossein Kolivand, was quoted as saying to Irania media, “40 rapid response teams from the IRCS are currently conducting search operations” in the area where the helicopter carrying President Raisi was reported to have crashed.
Kolivand said that the “weather conditions are extremely unfavourable and the terrain is difficult to navigate,” but “we are making every effort to carry out the necessary actions.”
“We have utilized drones and aerial measures, but due to the poor weather conditions, aerial search operations are not feasible. The area is rugged and mountainous,” he added, adding, “We have also dispatched forces from specific provinces to ensure that more personnel are on-site”.
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