Helicopter crash in Iran
Rescuers make contact with inmates
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According to Iran's vice president, rescuers have already had several contacts with two of the crew of the crashed helicopter. Meanwhile, 40 rescue teams are searching for the exact location of the accident.
While searching for the scene of the accident of the helicopter with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on board, rescuers were able to make contact with two occupants. In an interview on state television, Vice President for Executive Affairs Mohsen Mansuri said that contact had been made with the crew several times and that rescue workers were within a two-kilometer radius of the suspected crash site. The politician did not reveal any further details.
Meanwhile, after dark, rescuers continued to search for the scene of the accident on foot in bad weather conditions. As Iranian media reported, this is located near Dzholfa – more than 600 kilometers from the capital Tehran, close to the border with Azerbaijan. 40 rescue teams searched for the exact location of the accident.
There was concern among government supporters that something might have happened to the nine-member crew with President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian on board. The helicopter crashed in the northwest of the country after a meeting between Raisi and the President of neighboring Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.
Ayatollah: Iranians shouldn't worry
Army leaders ordered all military and Revolutionary Guard resources to be used for searches. According to media reports, it is expected to reach the crash site later in the evening. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on the population not to be worried or afraid, according to a report by the Irna news agency.
“There will be no interruption in government operations,” assured the spiritual leader of the Islamic Republic. State affairs would not be affected by the incident. Khamenei said he was praying for Raisi's safety.
