The initial report regarding the recent helicopter crash that tragically claimed the lives of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage was released by the General Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces on Thursday.
A specialized inquiry committee comprising experts and technicians swiftly arrived at the crash site early Monday morning following the incident, as outlined in a report from Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff, cited by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
According to the assessment, the helicopter adhered to its designated flight path without deviation throughout the entire journey. The investigation revealed that the pilot had communicated with the other two aircraft in the president’s convoy approximately fifteen minutes prior to the accident. Remarkably, no evidence of projectiles or similar items was discovered amidst the wreckage.
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The report indicated that the helicopter ignited upon impact with the mountain, attributing the incident to the challenging terrain, fog, and low temperatures. These factors prolonged search and rescue operations, which continued until nightfall and persisted throughout the night until the exact location was pinpointed at 5:00 a.m. local time on Monday with the aid of drones.
Furthermore, no anomalies were noted in the conversations between the flying crew and the watchtower. The report emphasized the potential for further investigations to yield additional insights.
The tragic crash occurred on Sunday as Raisi and his associates were en route to East Azerbaijan province. Among those onboard were Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, the representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader to East Azarbaijan, and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. Raisi was laid to rest on Thursday in his hometown of Mashhad, near the sacred shrine of Imam Reza in northeastern Iran.
