A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian crashed on Sunday while traversing mountainous terrain in heavy fog, an Iranian official told Reuters. Rescuers are facing difficulties in reaching the crash site.
The official reported that the lives of Raisi and Amirabdollahian are “at risk following the helicopter crash,” which occurred during their return from a visit to the Azerbaijan border in Iran’s northwest.
“We remain hopeful, but the information coming from the crash site is deeply troubling,” the official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
State TV cited an official stating that at least one passenger and one crew member had made contact with rescuers. However, while the helicopter was reported found, Iran’s Red Crescent disputed this claim.
Ebrahim Raisi, who was elected president of Iran in his second attempt in 2021, is at the center of this concerning incident.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate authority over foreign policy and the nuclear program, assured the public that state affairs would continue uninterrupted.
State media attributed the crash to adverse weather conditions, which are also hindering rescue operations. According to IRNA, Raisi was aboard a US-manufactured Bell 212 helicopter.
The chief of staff of Iran’s army has mobilized all available army and elite Revolutionary Guard resources for search and rescue efforts.
In a show of national concern, the state broadcaster interrupted regular programming to broadcast prayers for Raisi across the country.
Early Monday, footage showed a rescue team equipped with bright jackets and head torches, gathered around a GPS device as they searched a snowy, foggy mountainside on foot.
“We are meticulously searching every inch of the general crash area,” state media quoted a regional army commander. “The weather conditions are extremely cold, rainy, and foggy, with rain gradually turning into snow.”
Neighboring countries have expressed their concern and offered aid. The White House confirmed that US President Joe Biden had been briefed on the incident. Turkey responded to an Iranian request by deploying a drone, a helicopter, vehicles, and a rescue team. The European Union has offered emergency satellite mapping technology to assist Iran in the search efforts.
Source: NDTV