[Update, May 20th 2024]: Iranian authorities have confirmed that Iran’s president Raisi along with everyone else on board of the helicopter died during the crashlanding.
[Original Article, May 19th 2024]: As per the latest announcements it’s not clear whether the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had survived the crash of his helicopter that occurred over 12 hours ago in a mountainous region of Iran close to Azerbaijan.
As per some indications he is feared to be dead after the helicopter carrying him as well as Iran’s Foreign Minister suffered a crashlanding near Jolfa, Iran, following a diplomatic mission to the neighbouring capital of Baku, Azerbaijan.
According to the Tasnim news agency from Varzeghan, after announcing the possible coordinates of the president’s helicopter crash site, rescue teams immediately went to the location, but there was no news of the helicopter for several hours due to mountainous terrain and bad weather making it hard to access.
Considering the foggy weather, the search operation continued on the way to the village of “Khoylar Beh Kalem” until the aid forces noticed the wings of the helicopter on a hill and immediately changed their direction towards the hill.
According to Tasnim reporter’s reports from the accident site, the wreckage of the helicopter was found at the top of a hill in the village of Khoylar Bekalam and the rescue forces are moving towards the exact location of the accident.
Pirhossein Kolivand, head of the Red Crescent Society in Iran, confirmed that the president’s helicopter was found and said: “The helicopter’s condition is not good and we are two kilometers away from the helicopter.” We will reach the accident site in a few minutes and we will inform the people about it.
The commander of the Ashura Corps told the Tasnim reporter that they will reach the helicopter crashlanding site in a few minutes and nothing can be confirmed about the fate of the helicopter and its passengers at the moment.
At the same time Iranian ISNA news agency had published a photo apparently from the spot of the crashlanding.
“No sign of life” was detected at the crash spot according to Iranian state television.
Ebrahim Raisi is an Iranian politician and jurist who has served in various high-ranking positions within Iran’s judiciary. He was born on December 14, 1960, in Mashhad, Iran. Raisi has held positions such as Attorney General, Deputy Chief Justice, and Chief Justice of Iran’s judiciary. He was elected as the President of Iran in June 2021.