2024 Varzaqan helicopter crash

Coordinates: 38°46′4″N 46°41′33″E / 38.76778°N 46.69250°E / 38.76778; 46.69250
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2024 Varzaqan helicopter crash
Bell 212 6-9221, the helicopter involved in the accident
Crash
Date19 May 2024; 14 days ago (2024-05-19), c. 13:30 IRST (UTC+03:30)
SummaryCrashed in severe weather
Sitenear Uzi, Varzaqan County, East Azerbaijan, Iran
38°46′4″N 46°41′33″E / 38.76778°N 46.69250°E / 38.76778; 46.69250
Aircraft
Aircraft typeBell 212[1]
Operator Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
Registration6-9221[2]
Flight originGiz Galasi Dam, Iran
DestinationTabriz, Iran
Passengers5
Crew3
Fatalities8
Survivors0

On 19 May 2024, a Iranian Air Force helicopter crashed near Varzaqan, Iran, killing all eight passengers and crew.[3][4] A day before the crash a severe weather warning had been issued for the region.[5] The Bell 212 was travelling from the Giz Galasi Dam to Tabriz and carried the president of Iran Ebrahim Raisi; foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian; governor-general of East Azerbaijan province Malek Rahmati, and the representative of the Supreme Leader in East Azerbaijan Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem. Raisi's head of security, a bodyguard, and three members of flight crew.[6][7][8]

The crash happened near Jolfa in East Azerbaijan, close to the Azerbaijan–Iran border.[9][10] Rescuers had trouble because of the dense forest, heavy rain, fog, and strong winds.[9] Drones, search teams, trained dogs, and a satellite system helped with the search.[11][12][13] Funeral services began on 21 May.[14]

Raisi was the second president of Iran to have died in office, following Mohammad-Ali Rajai, who died in a bombing in 1981.[15] After President Raisi died in the crash, Mohammad Mokhber became the acting president of Iran.[16][17]

Background[change | change source]

Presidents Raisi (left) and Aliyev (right) on the Azerbaijan–Iran border, hours before the crash

On 19 May 2024, President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met in Azerbaijan to open two hydroelectric complexes, Khoda Afarin and Giz Galasi.[18] These are the third joint projects between the two countries on the Aras River.[9][19] A day before the crash, the Iran Meteorological Organization issued an orange weather warning (severe weather that may cause damage or accidents) for the region.[5]

Crash[change | change source]

After the complex was inaugurated, a helicopter carrying Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Governor-General of East Azerbaijan Malek Rahmati, and the Supreme Leader's Representative in East Azerbaijan Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem[20] as well as Sardar Seyed Mehdi Mousavi, head of Raisi’s security team, two military pilots holding the rank of colonel and a flight technician with the rank of major left for Tabriz with two other helicopters.[21] Around 13:30 IRST (UTC+03:30), the helicopter crashed shortly after an emergency call was made.[4] Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian and Housing and Transportation Minister Mehrdad Bazrpash, in the other helicopters, arrived safely[22] in Tabriz.[23]

The helicopter crashed around 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south west of the village of Uzi.[12][9][24] The crash site was in the Dizmar Forest, a wildlife area near the northern Varzaqan area of East Azerbaijan province.[4][25]

Later on 19 May, the IRIB reported the helicopter had been found[26] and that there was "no sign of life" at the crash scene.[27] The helicopter had been completely burned after the crash.[28] Search operations ended following the recovery of the bodies of those on board on 20 May.[29] Many of the bodies found were burnt, but were still identifiable visually.[30]

Funerals[change | change source]

Farewell ceremony to Ebrahim Raisi, Tehran, 22 May 2024

Funerals for the victims began on 21 May in Tabriz, with a large crowd attending.[14] The remains were moved to Tehran, then to Qom, and back to Tehran University for another ceremony on 22 May, attended by Khamenei, Mokhber, and foreign dignitaries like Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.[31][32] Afterward, the remains were taken to Azadi Square,[31] where people chanted "Death to America".[33] Government offices and private businesses were closed on 22 May.[34] The next day, Raisi's remains will go to Birjand and then to Mashhad for burial at the Imam Reza shrine.[35][36]

Reactions[change | change source]

Maryam Rajavi, the leader of a political group in exile, People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, said that the crash is a blow to "Ali Khamenei and the" regime.[source?] She added that Raisi's legacy was marked by his role in the 1988 executions of Iranian political prisoners.[37]

References[change | change source]

  1. ↑ "Bell 212: The missing helicopter carrying Iran's president". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  2. ↑ "Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force 6-9221 | ASN accident description". Aviation-safety.net. Flight Safety Foundation. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  3. ↑ Sewell, Abby (20 May 2024). "What do we know so far about the helicopter crash that killed Iran's president and others?". Associated Press. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Fassihi, Farnaz (19 May 2024). "Helicopter Carrying Iran's President Has Crashed, State Media Reports". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "روایت خبرنگار تسنیم از منطقه سانحه بالگرد رئیس‌جمهور + فیلم" [Tasnim reporter's narration from the area of the president's helicopter accident + video]. Tasnim News Agency (in Persian). Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  6. ↑ Picheta, Negar Mahmoodi, Artemis Moshtaghian, Tamara Qiblawi, Sophie Tanno, Helen Regan, Rob (20 May 2024). "Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and foreign minister confirmed dead in helicopter crash". CNN. Retrieved 20 May 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ↑ "'No signs of helicopter's occupants being alive': Red Crescent". Al Jazeera. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  8. ↑ Taylor, Jerome (20 May 2024). "Drone footage shows wreckage of crashed helicopter". CNN. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Gambrell, Jon (19 May 2024). "Helicopter carrying Iran's president suffers a 'hard landing,' state TV says without further details". AP News. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  10. ↑ Hafezi, Parisa; Elwelly, Elwely (19 May 2024). "Helicopter carrying Iran's president Raisi makes rough landing, says state TV". Reuters. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  11. ↑ Norman, Laurence; Faucon, Benoit; and Eqbali, Aresu (20 May 2024). "Iran Says Helicopter Carrying Its President Is Missing After Crash". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "EU activates mapping service to aid search effort". BBC News. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  13. ↑ "Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi and foreign minister killed in helicopter crash – live updates". The Guadian. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Thousands at Iran president's funeral procession". BBC. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  15. ↑ "Iran's president, foreign minister and others found dead at helicopter crash site, state media says". Associated Press. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  16. ↑ "Who is Mohammad Mokhber, Iran's interim president?". Reuters. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  17. ↑ "Iran's president, foreign minister and others found dead at helicopter crash site". Associated Press. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  18. ↑ "Ceremony to commission "Khudafarin" hydroelectric complex and inaugurate "Giz Galasi" hydroelectric complex was held with participation of Azerbaijani and Iranian Presidents". Azerbaijan State News Agency. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  19. ↑ "Qiz-Qalasi Dam symbol of cooperation between Tehran, Baku". Mehr News Agency. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  20. ↑ Regencia, Ted (19 May 2024). "Who was on the missing helicopter?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  21. ↑ "Who died alongside Iran's President Raisi in the helicopter crash?". Al Jazeera. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  22. ↑ Motamedi, Maziar (19 May 2024). "Search under way after helicopter carrying Iran's president Raisi crashes". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  23. ↑ "What do we know so far about Iranian president's helicopter 'accident'". France 24. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  24. ↑ "اخبار حادثه سقوط بالگرد/ شهادت رئیس جمهور، وزیر خارجه و همراهان" [News of the collapse incident / testimony of the President, Foreign Minister and their companions] (in Persian). Mehr News Agency. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  25. ↑ "President Raisi's helicopter crashes in Iran: What we know so far". Al Jazeera. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  26. ↑ "Crashed helicopter found by search teams, state TV reports". The Guardian. 19 May 2024. Archived from the original on 19 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  27. ↑ Gambrell, Jon (20 May 2024). "'No sign of life' at crash site of helicopter carrying Iran's president, others". AP News. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  28. ↑ Wintour, Patrick (20 May 2024). "'No sign of life' at crash site, state TV says". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  29. ↑ Sheils McNamee, Michael (20 May 2024). "Iran declares five days of mourning for president". BBC. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  30. ↑ "Death in the fog: the grim search for Raisi's helicopter". France 24. 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Gambrell, Jon (22 May 2024). "Iran's supreme leader prays for late president and others killed in helicopter crash". Associated Press. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  32. ↑ "Iran's supreme leader presides over funeral for president and others killed in helicopter crash". Associated Press. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  33. ↑ "Iran's supreme leader leads prayers at Raisi funeral". BBC. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  34. ↑ "Iran announces five days of mourning after President Raisi's death". Al Jazeera. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  35. ↑ "Thousands mourn Iran's Raisi in Tabriz procession after helicopter crash". Al Jazeera. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  36. ↑ "Mourners begin days of funerals for Iran's president and others killed in helicopter crash". Associated Press. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  37. ↑ "Exiled opposition group says Raisi death 'monumental blow' to Iran". France 24. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
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