Helicopter Carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi Suffers ‘Hard Landing’, Details Emerge

• Iranian president, Ebrahim Raisi, was among passengers of a helicopter that was forced into a “hard landing”
• The incident reportedly happened near Jolfa in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province on Sunday, May, 19
• It was gathered that the foreign minister and the representative of the supreme leader to the province were also in the helicopter

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro and government policy

Iran - A helicopter carrying Iranian president, Ebrahim Raisi, has suffered a “hard landing” near Jolfa in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province.

It was gathered that search operations are underway for the helicopter after the incident occurred on Sunday, May 19.

Raisi was in neighbouring Azerbaijan to inaugurate a dam alongside President Ilham Aliyev on Saturday, May 18.

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According to Aljazeera, the state television said people who were with the president inside the helicopter managed to make an emergency call.

It was gathered that foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and the representative of the Iranian supreme leader to the province, Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, were in the same helicopter with Raisi.

Tasnim News Agency reported that the call increased hopes that the incident could be concluded “without fatalities”.

Rescue teams dispatched

Interior minister Ahmad Vahidi disclosed that various rescue teams including drones and search dog have been dispatched to the incident location, NBC reports.

Vahidi, however, said it might take some time due to fog and bad weather conditions.

He added that radio contact was made with the helicopter and suggested communication lines have been cut.

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"Various rescue groups are moving towards the site, but due to the fog and bad weather, it may take time to reach the area,"

Israel reportedly launches missiles attacks on Iran

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Iran activated its air defence batteries as explosions were reportedly heard near the airbase in Isfahan province.

The explosion happened amid regional tension after a retaliatory strike by Iran on Israel following the latter's attack on its consulate in Syria.

Israel had launched a missile attack against an Iranian site, as disclosed by a senior official in the US.

Source: Legit.ng