In a surprising turn of events, a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi suffered a “hard landing” on Sunday, Iranian state media reported.
After the tragic incident, a search operation is underway to locate the Iranian president and other notable dignitaries who were present on the chopper.
According to the Interior Minister of Iran, Ahmad Vahidi, the president and others were on their way back aboard some helicopters, and one of the helicopters was forced to make a hard landing due to the bad weather and fog.
Vahidi said in comments aired on state TV. "Various rescue teams are on their way to the region but because of the poor weather and fogginess it might take time for them to reach the helicopter.”
Who all were present on the missing helicopter?
- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi
- Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian
- East Azerbaijan Governor Malek Rahmati
- Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, representative of the Iranian Supreme Leader to East Azerbaijan
State TV said the incident happened near Jolfa, a city on the border with the nation of Azerbaijan, some 600 kilometres (375 miles) northwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran.
As per reports, the Iranian president's convoy consisted of three helicopters and two of them came back safely.
Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian and Housing and Transportation Minister Mehrdad Bazrpash were in the other helicopters that made it back safely.
Moreover, Raisi had been on the border with Azerbaijan early Sunday to inaugurate a dam with Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev. This dam signifies the third collaboration project created by the two nations on the Aras River.
(With inputs from PTI)
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