Final report reveals climatic conditions as causes of ex-Iranian President Raisi’s helicopter crash

The final report on the helicopter crash that claimed the life of former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has been released.

According to the report, the primary causes of the crash were identified as “complex climatic conditions in the region during the spring” and a “sudden onset of dense fog.”

It is confirmed that there was no evidence of sabotage, and it notes that the helicopter pilot did not issue an emergency alert.

The report, prepared by a high-level team from the Iranian General Staff, examines the technical, meteorological, and operational factors of the crash in detail.

It highlights that all maintenance and repairs conducted on the helicopter since its purchase adhered to international standards.

Report confirms ‘no sabotage‘

The final report reveals that documents related to the helicopter’s mission prior to the crash provide a comprehensive account of the process, from the Presidential Office’s request to the helicopter’s deployment.

Investigations into the helicopter’s remaining parts, engines, power transmission systems, and electronic equipment found no signs of technical faults or sabotage.

Additionally, forensic reports indicated that toxicology and pathology tests on the bodies revealed no suspicious findings.

The report also notes that meteorological conditions on the day of the crash, particularly the dense fog, were reviewed and determined to be a significant factor in the incident. Analysis of cockpit voice recordings and flight data showed that the pilot did not report any emergency.

The report concludes that the crash was primarily caused by “complex climatic conditions in the spring” and the “sudden onset of dense fog,” which led the helicopter to collide with a mountain.

What happened?

The incident, which occurred on May 19 in East Azerbaijan province, Iran, resulted in the deaths of eight individuals, including President Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

On May 19, former President Raisi was attending a dam inauguration ceremony on the Iran-Azerbaijan border when the helicopter carrying him, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, and other officials crashed on their return journey.

Following Iran’s request, Türkiye deployed an Akinci unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for search and rescue operations.

The UAV identified the wreckage’s coordinates, which were shared with Iranian authorities. Iranian teams at the crash site confirmed that there were no survivors.

Raisi, who served as Iran’s president for three years, was replaced by Masoud Pezeshkian after winning early presidential elections in June.