Although it is still not clear what exactly happened to the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, the last photo of the helicopter, before the aircraft disappeared in eastern Azerbaijan, appeared on social media, as well as photos of rescue teams.
18:06 An unnamed Iranian official told Reuters that the lives of the president and his foreign minister were “in danger” after the “breakdown”.
So far, Iranian state media have reported that President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter was forced into a “hard landing.”
18:01 The helicopter took off after the opening of the Keys Kalasi Dam. Among the passengers of the helicopter, apart from Ebrahim Raisi, were the Minister of Foreign Affairs Hossein Amirabdolakhian, the Governor of East Azerbaijan Malik Rahmati and several others, according to the “Irna” agency.
Let us recall that Raisi traveled to the Iranian province of East Azerbaijan.
آخرین تصویر از بالگرد حامل رئیس جمهور در پایان افتتاح سد «قیز قلعه سی»
عکاس: #علی_حامد_حقدوست pic.twitter.com/BLojQZw8qQ
— خبرگزاری ایرنا (@IRNA_1313) May 19, 2024
There were three helicopters in Raisi’s convoy, two of which with ministers and officials arrived safely at their destination, reports the Tasnim agency.
It is said that some of the president’s companions in the helicopter managed to contact the control center, and that this increased the hope that this incident would end without casualties.
Red Crescent rescue forces and additional military and police forces launched a massive operation to find the helicopter after the first reports of a possible crash, Tasnim reports.
تصاویری از اطراف منطقه سانحه بالگرد رییس جمهور pic.twitter.com/oSC8ntmuRe
— خبرگزاری ایرنا (@IRNA_1313) May 19, 2024
16 rescue teams were sent to the field, but due to the impassability of the field and unfavorable weather conditions, especially heavy fog, the search and rescue operation will take some time, writes IRNA.
