As Iran mourned the sudden loss of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and others in the entourage who died when their chopper crashed in the mountainous region on the border near Azerbaijan, it has released the first investigation report into the reason behind the crash.
As per the report, the helicopter stayed on its path and did not deviate from its flight route. The last one and a half minutes before the crash, the pilot of the ill-fated helicopter contacted the other 2 helicopters that were part of the President’s convoy.
WHAT INVESTIGATION REVEALS ABOUT CRASH
• The wreckage has no trace of bullets or similar items.
• The helicopter caught fire after crashing into the mountain.
• No suspicious issue was detected between the watchtower and flight crew.
• The search operations took a long time due to fog, low temperatures and the site of the wreckage was found at 5 am with the help of drones.
Raisi and his entourage were on their way to East Azerbaijan province when the helicopter carrying them crashed in a mountainous area on May 19.
Also on board the helicopter were Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, the representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader to East Azarbaijan.
RAISI BURIED IN MASHHAD
A sea of mourners turned up to say a final farewell to Raisi in Mashhad – his hometown in the northeast. Many were seen holding photos of the late President and late Iran’s Foreign minister. Some were trying to hold back their tears.
Raisi was laid to rest four days after the chopper crash. The burial ceremony was attended by Iranian government, military and religious officials.
Eight passengers and crew were killed when the helicopter crashed in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border.
The burial took place at the holy shrine of Imam Reza, Iran’s holiest Islamic site and revered as the resting place of the 9th century Imam Ali al-Reza.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was laid to rest in the city of Rey, south of Tehran.
Raisi was widely seen as someone who would succeed Iran’s Supreme leader, 85-year old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who led prayers for them in Tehran on May 22.
MOKHBER APPOINTED INTERIM PRESIDENT TILL ELECTIONS
Mohammad Mokhber, who had been the first vice president, has currently been put in charge as interim president until an election takes place on June 28.
Iran has declared five days of mourning.
