Foreign media raises questions on Raisi’s helicopter crash

Ankara: Turkish media has raised questions about the helicopter crash of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

According to foreign media reports, Turkish media raised the question why a four-decade-old helicopter Bell 212 was used for the head of the government. How did the US-made helicopter come to be used by the Iranian president? Why was the arrangement of the passengers on the three helicopters involved in the convoy changed?

The Iranian president used to use Russian helicopters for his visits to Tabriz in the past, so why did he have to use American helicopters now. In the past, Pasdaran was a pilot from the revolution and now why was he chosen from the army? Despite the tracking system, why the accident site could not be determined immediately?

Britain-based Iranian Activist Cyber Espionage Investigator Nariman Gharib turned to social media website X and wrote: “In 2023, a top-secret letter was sent to Mokhber, the First Vice President under President Raisi, highlighting the urgent need to purchase two Mi-171A2 helicopters for $32 million”.

The letter cited the high frequency of President Raisi's flights and the need to upgrade the helicopter fleet at the hangar as primary reasons for the acquisition, he added attaching the copy of the letter in his post.

The Turkish media has raised more alarming questions that why the activation or damage of the helicopter signal was not noted. According to the tour schedule, the foreign minister and the governor of Tabriz were supposed to board helicopter No.2, why didn't they board it?

The helicopter of Iranian President crashed in Dizmar forest in bad weather conditions. Why the helicopter was authorized to fly in foggy weather and extremely low visibility in a mountainous region needs to be investigated.

It is important to mention the causes of the accident that happened to the helicopter of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi for which the investigation are underway. The Iranian Chief of Staff has formed a high-level investigation committee which is headed by the Deputy Coordinator of the Chief of Staff. The investigation committee also includes military officers and technical experts.

Notably earlier on Sunday, Ebrahim Raisi was returning to Tabriz after the inauguration of a dam in the border area of Azerbaijanm when his helicopter lost contact with other helicopters.

After a search operation that lasted for more than 15 hours, the bodies of Iranian President Raisi and the Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian were found, while some bodies were burnt beyond recognition.