Search Operations Ongoing for Raisi's Helicopter

By Al Mayadeen English

20 May 2024 01:05

Search operations are still ongoing for the helicopter that was carrying Iranian President Ebrhaim Raisi and his companions after it made a hard landing in northwestern Iran.

Rescue operations are still ongoing in search of the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and their companions after making a hard landing. 

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Iran said that the location of the Iranian president's helicopter has been identified near the village of Uzi in the Arasbaran forests, pointing out that the weather conditions and the geographical nature of the location are hindering access to the site of the incident.

Iranian Red Crescent President Pir Hossein Kolivand told Iranian television that 40 teams are participating in the search operations for the Iranian president's helicopter, but due to bad weather conditions, aerial search operations cannot further proceed.

Kolivand added that one of the rescue teams reached an area near the possible location of the incident of the presidential helicopter.

Later, state media reported that the dispatched rescue teams would reach the probable coordinates of President Raisi's helicopter within half an hour, while Al Mayadeen's correspondent revealed that four rescue teams approached the landing site of the helicopter carrying Iranian President Raisi, with a total of 46 teams deployed.

However, shortly after, citing an Iranian Red Crescent source, Al Mayadeen's correspondent said that the roads leading to the location of the helicopter were no longer passable due to heavy rain, adding that rescue teams were now advancing on foot due to the difficult road conditions.

On his part, the spokesperson for the Iranian government confirmed that a cabinet meeting will be held today to discuss the latest developments. 

Meanwhile, the Iranian government's Crisis Management Committee held an emergency session to follow up on the search operations, our correspondent said.

According to Al Mayadeen's correspondent, Iranian Vice President Mohammad Mokhber has headed to Tabriz to oversee the search operations.

Publicly, Iranian media published footage of Iranians praying and hoping for the safety of Raisi and his accompanying delegation at the Imam Reza shrine in the city of Mashhad.

Moreover, the incident garnered international attention and the world has rushed to support Iran. International and regional partners have offered their help to assist in the search and rescue operation. 

That said, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said it was following the developments on Sunday's Iran helicopter accident with sadness and hoping for the President's well-being, adding that action had been taken to provide all kinds of support to search and rescue activities.

Turkey answered Iran's call for the deployment of night vision-capable drones to assist search and rescue efforts. The Turkish emergency committee sent six vehicles and 32 experts to assist Iranian search and rescue efforts in the mountainous Province of East Azerbaijan.