The tragic crash of a Bell 212 helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials occurred in Iran's mountainous northwest region near the Azerbaijan border. The helicopter was en route from the Iran-Azerbaijan border after inaugurating a joint dam project. The crash resulted in the deaths of all onboard, including President Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
The incident took place amidst adverse weather conditions and dense fog, making search and rescue operations challenging. After an extensive 10-hour search operation, the wreckage of the helicopter was discovered in a remote mountainous area. The crash site was identified at an altitude of 4,450 meters.
The accident was attributed to a sudden weather change in the district where the helicopter crashed, leading to a "hard landing" due to poor weather conditions. The area was enveloped in heavy fog around the time of the crash.
The Bell 212 helicopter involved in the crash is a US-manufactured aircraft, and data from flight tracking platforms show that nearly 2.8 million users tracked the Turkish UAV assisting in the search operations for over 14 hours.
The death of President Raisi has significant implications for Iran's political landscape. As per the Islamic Republic's Constitution, the first vice-president, Mohammad Mokhber, is set to take over temporarily, pending confirmation by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Subsequently, arrangements for a new presidential election must be made within 50 days.
Meanwhile, amid heightened tensions with Iran, Israel has reportedly disrupted GPS systems in its central parts, with interference noted in other parts of the country as well. This action is seen as a defensive measure amid escalating tensions in the Middle East region.
