2024 Varzaqan helicopter crash

2024 Varzaqan helicopter crash

Bell 212 6-9221, the helicopter involved in the accident
Crash
Date	19 May 2024; 8 months ago (2024-05-19), c. 13:30 IRST (UTC+03:30)
Summary	Crashed in severe weather
Site	near 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 type	Bell 212[1]
Operator	Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
Registration	6-9221[2]
Flight origin	Giz Galasi Dam, Iran
Destination	Tabriz, Iran
Passengers	5
Crew	3
Fatalities	8
Survivors	0

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]

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. ↑ Fassihi, Farnaz (19 May 2024). "Helicopter Carrying Iran's President Has Crashed, State Media Reports". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
5. ↑ Cite error: The named reference :1 was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
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} 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. ↑ "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. ↑ "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.