Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi is dead following a helicopter crash, Iranian state media announced Monday.
The Iranian minister of foreign affairs and the others onboard were also killed in the crash.
The Red Crescent confirmed earlier Monday it had located the missing helicopter carrying Iranian President Raisi.
“The president’s helicopter has been found,” the head of Iran’s Red Crescent told state TV. “We can see the helicopter and we are moving towards the place. We have no details. Let us get on top of the helicopter to announce the details. We are about two kilometers away from the helicopter.”
“Things are not good here,” he said after being asked if they could see signs of a crash or burn.
“Currently, there are 73 rescue teams in the search area for the helicopter in the Tawal village, of which 23 Red Crescent teams (detector dogs) have been sent from Tehran and neighboring provinces to the accident area along with advanced and specialized equipment,” IRNA reported Sunday.
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A helicopter that was transporting Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi suffered a “hard landing” in central Iran, according to the country’s state-affiliated media.
Raisi was traveling with Iran’s minister of foreign affairs, Hossein Amirabdollahian, and other officials when their helicopter made a “hard landing,” Iranian media reported.
U.S. President Joe Biden was briefed on the Iranian president’s helicopter incident, according to the White House. The State Department is closely following reports of the incident, according to a spokesperson.
Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi confirmed that the president’s helicopter made a “rough landing.”
“We are experiencing difficult and complicated conditions. It is the right of the people and the media to be aware of the latest news about the president’s helicopter accident, but according to the coordinates of the accident site and the weather conditions, there is ‘no’ new news until now. In these moments, patience, prayer and trust in relief groups are the way forward,” the government spokesperson said.
Forty search-and-rescue teams had been sent to the area, the head of the Iranian Red Crescent announced to state media. However, weather conditions have hampered the search conditions, according to the head of the Iranian Red Crescent.
“One of the helicopters was forced to make a rough landing due to bad weather conditions and fog in the area,” Vahidi said.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of Iran, issued a statement asking people to pray that Raisi and the others are found safe.
“We hope that Almighty God will return the respected and honorable president and his companions to the arms of the nation,” Khamenei said. “Everyone should pray for the health of this group of servants.”
