The helicopter carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, and the foreign minister has crashed. According to the local media the helicopter suffered a ‘hard landing’ amid bad weather condition in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province.
The incident took place in the Dizmar Forest, which lies between the cities of Jolfa and Varzaqan. Rescue crews arrived at the scene and began searching one hour after the event.
Emergency rescue teams deployed
Forty emergency relief teams from six provinces in Tehran—Alborz, Ardabil, Zanjan, East Azerbaijan, and West Azerbaijan—have been dispatched to the scene of the event and are presently searching the region, according to Red Crescent Society President Pir Hossein Kolivand.
According to him, two Red Crescent drones and fifteen Red Crescent K-9 teams—sniffer dogs—are also scouring the region for signs of the Iranian President’s helicopter.
The Red Crescent’s rescue helicopters are now unable to fly due to the unfavorable weather and heavy fog in the area, he continued. As a result, the teams are searching the area on foot.
Eight ambulances were dispatched to the area, according to an official from Iran’s Emergency Services, because severe fog has hindered air rescue attempts.
As soon as the event was reported, emergency medical teams—including technicians and doctors—were sent to the scene, according to Babak Yektaparast of the IRNA news agency.
He also mentioned that an emergency helicopter had been sent out to help, but it had to go back because of dense fog, making it impossible for it to land.
IRGC’s rescue efforts for Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi
Major General Mohammad Baqeri, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, gave the order to mobilize the Army, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), and the Police Command to support the search and rescue effort.
Notable for their proficiency in jungle warfare, the 65th Airborne Special Forces Brigade was also stationed close to the helicopter crash scene.
There were two other helicopters that arrived at the location without incident, transporting several ministers and officials.
Where was President Raisi headed?
Today (19th May, 2024) President Raisi and the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended an inauguration ceremony of a dam on the Aras River. After 3 years of tension between the two countries, they took this opportunity to restore the ties between them. Several top diplomats were present from both side in this ceremony.
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi was returning from the ceremony along with the foreign minister.