Iran releases preliminary report on helicopter crash involving president

TEHRAN, Iran

The General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces released a preliminary report Thursday on an investigation into the crash of the helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and their entourage.

The report notes that technical and general information and findings related to the crash have been collected and evaluated, with some data requiring more time for assessment, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported.

According to the preliminary evaluation, the helicopter continued on its predetermined route without altering its flight path. The pilot communicated with the pilots of the other two helicopters about a minute and a half before the crash.

The report indicates that no traces of gunfire or similar damage was found on the remaining parts of the helicopter and that the helicopter caught fire after the crash.

The rugged terrain, cold weather and fog in the area prolonged search and rescue operations and the crash site was only reached by morning.

The report states that no suspicious circumstances were encountered in the control tower's communications with the flight crew.

The final results of the investigation will be shared once it is completed.

On May 19, President Raisi attended an inauguration ceremony for a dam at the Iran-Azerbaijan border. Returning with Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian and some officials, Raisi's helicopter crashed.

At Iran's request, Türkiye assigned an AKINCI unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for search and rescue activities. The coordinates of the helicopter wreckage detected by the Turkish UAV were shared with Iranian authorities.

Iranian teams reached the location and reported no survivors.

Following the confirmation of Raisi's death, First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber was appointed interim president, while Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani was appointed interim foreign minister.

*Writing by Alperen Aktas from Istanbul