Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's helicopter crash site revealed in first images

Updated : May 20, 2024 09:48
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Editorji News Desk

First images and videos of the site where the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his Foreign Minister crashed emerged on May 20.

Drone footage captured by volunteer forces assisting Iran's Red Crescent showed the wreckage of Raisi's doomed chopper.

According to Iran media reports, the crash site is believed to be near Tavil village in northwest Iran.

On May 19, the chopper carrying Raisi and his delegation disappeared over a mountainous region in East Azerbaijan province. According to state media, the helicopter had made a hard landing.

With Raisi were Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the governor of Iran's East Azerbaijan province and other officials and bodyguards, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

Iran's state television there was "no sign" of life among passengers of the helicopter which was carrying President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials.

"Upon finding the helicopter, there was no sign of the helicopter passengers being alive as of yet," state TV reported.

Foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian is also confirmed to have died

According to Turkey's Anadolu agency, a drone sent by Istanbul to help in the search operation identified the source of heat that is believed to be the wreckage of the helicopter. The crash site is believed to be on the side of a mountain in northwest Iran. The agency said the coordinates of the site were shared with the Iranian authorities.

According to Iran's state-run agency IRNA, search-and-rescue teams are now on their way to the potential accident site called "Tawil". But, nothing has been confirmed till now.

Meanwhile, Iran’s deputy president for executive affairs Mohsen Mansouri said that two members of President Ebrahim Raisi’s entourage contacted rescue teams, and this shows that the air incident involving their helicopter has not been rough.

Ebrahim Raisi

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