Helicopter carrying Iranian President Raisi suffers a “hard landing”, prompting massive search operation, local media reports

Iranian officials say rescue teams dispatched after helicopter suffers ‘hard landing’ in East Azerbaijan province.

May 19, 2024

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has suffered a “hard landing”, state television reported, as officials said extensive search operations were under way but were being impeded by poor weather conditions.

The aircraft came down in Iran’s East Azerbaijan Province, sparking a massive search effort. Emergency crews have so far has been unable to reach the crash site amid fog and extreme cold, IRNA said.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed concern over the situation in a meeting with families of Revolutionary Guard Corps personnel and urged the country to pray for Raisi and others who were in the helicopter.

“We hope that God returns the honourable president and his companions to the arms of the nation,” he said. He also urged Iranians not to worry and stressed that there would be “no disruption” in governance.

The accident occurred as Raisi and Amir Abdollahian were returning from a ceremony for an opening of a dam on Iran’s border with Azerbaijan, IRNA reported.

Two other helicopters in the same convoy of dignitaries arrived at their destinations safely, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Iran’s interior minister Ahmad Vahidi said Raisi’s helicopter was forced to make a hard landing due to foggy weather conditions.

“Now different rescue groups are moving towards the area but given that it is foggy and the unsuitable weather and the conditions it may take some time until they reach where the helicopter is,” said Vahidi during a televised address posted on Telegram by Iranian state news agency IRNA.

This’s a developing story…