Helicopter Crash: Iran Releases First Probe Report

Iran has released the first report on the investigation into the crash of the helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi. The report, released by the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, says that no traces of gunfire or similar damage were found on the remaining parts of the helicopter that was crashed in mountains near the Azerbaijan border.

As per the report, the helicopter had not deviated from the flight route and continued on its predetermined path. The incident happened when Ebrahim Raisi was on a return trip after attending the inauguration ceremony of a dam at the Iran-Azerbaijan border. Iran's foreign minister and six others were also killed in the crash. Meanwhile, the pilot communicated with the pilots of the other two helicopters in the president's convoy about a minute and a half before the crash. After crashing into the mountain, the helicopter caught fire, the report noted. 

Also, no suspicious circumstances were encountered in the communications between the control tower and the flight crew. The rugged terrain and weather conditions caused the search and rescue operations to continue throughout the night. The crash site was reached only the next morning with the assistance of drones. The report also mentioned that more details would be shared after further investigations. Notably, a presidential election has been scheduled in the country for June 28.