A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and international minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian crashed on Sunday because it was crossing a mountainous forest area in heavy fog, RadarOnline.com has discovered.
An Iranian official advised Reuters that their lives are “in danger following the helicopter crash,” which occurred on the best way again from a go to to Iran’s border with Azerbaijan. “We’re nonetheless hopeful however info coming from the crash website may be very regarding.”
State information company IRNA reported that a big search and rescue operation involving 16 groups is reportedly underway, however poor climate circumstances have made it troublesome for rescuers to find and attain the crash website.
“The esteemed president and firm had been on their approach again aboard some helicopters and one of many helicopters was pressured to make a tough touchdown because of the dangerous climate and fog,” Inside Minister Ahmad Vahidi mentioned in feedback aired on Iran’s state TV.
“Numerous rescue groups are on their solution to the area however due to the poor climate and fogginess it would take time for them to achieve the helicopter,” he added.
“The area is a bit [rugged] and it’s troublesome to make contact. We’re ready for rescue groups to achieve the touchdown website and provides us extra info.”
Along with the president and the international minister, the governor of the province was additionally within the helicopter. That they had reportedly been touring with a delegation of ministers in a convoy of three helicopters, and the opposite two plane reached their locations with out incident.
The Iranian president had traveled to the border of Azerbaijan early on Sunday to inaugurate a dam with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. The reason for the crash and the standing of these aboard stays unknown.
Raisi, 63, is a hardliner who some have seen as a doable successor for 85-year-old Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since taking workplace in 2021, the nation has cracked down on anti-government protests, intensified uranium enrichment, supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and launched a missile and drone assault on Israel.