Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's Fatal Crash: Helicopter Reportedly Dated Back To Before The 1979 Islamic Revolution — Expert Terms It 'Simply Suicidal'

In a tragic incident, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash on Sunday. The aircraft, a US-made Bell 212 model, potentially in service since before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, crashed into an Iranian hillside, according to a report.

What Happened: The helicopter crashed into a hillside in Iran’s mountainous northwest, killing all on board, including President Raisi and his entourage. The group was returning from a dam opening ceremony near the Azerbaijan border, reported Business Insider.

The Bell 212 was developed by the US in collaboration with the Canadian government in the mid-1960s, and its production ceased in 1998. Experts suggest that the helicopter could have been between 40 and 50 years old at the time of the crash.

Roland Dangerfield, CEO of Sentinel Aviation, emphasized the importance of the aircraft’s maintenance over its age or model. However, he noted that US trade embargoes and restrictions on helicopter parts may have hindered the Iranian regime from maintaining the Bell 212. Iran’s former foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, echoed this sentiment, suggesting US sanctions could be partly to blame for the crash.

Julian Röpcke, Security Policy and Conflicts Senior Editor at Bild, said that flying such a machine was “simply suicidal,” according to the report.

Since 1972, Bell 212 helicopters have been involved in 432 accidents, resulting in 639 fatalities, including Sunday’s crash, according to the Flight Safety Foundation.

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Why It Matters: The crash of the helicopter carrying President Raisi and his foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in heavy fog in mountainous terrain was reported by Benzinga earlier. The following day, Raisi’s death was confirmed.

Raisi, a former hardline judiciary chief, became Iran's eighth president in 2021 after a historically uncompetitive presidential election. His death has led to the appointment of Mohammad Mokhber, Iran's first vice president, as the interim president. As per Iran's constitution, Mokhber will join a three-person council to organize a new presidential election within 50 days of Raisi's death.

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