DUBAI, May 19 (Reuters) - A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister crashed on Sunday as it was crossing mountain terrain in heavy fog, an Iranian official told Reuters, and rescuers were struggling to reach the site of the incident.

The official said the lives of Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were “at risk following the helicopter crash”, which happened on the way back from a visit to the border with Azerbaijan in Iran’s northwest.

    • nahuse@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      24·
      6 months ago

      It’s the same story. I believe the first official Iranian statement had language like “involved in a hard landing” without anything else.

      They have since turned to asking for prayers for their safe recovery, and apparently asked the EU for satellite imaging to help with search and rescue. [this is from a New York Times timeline that I recently read.]

    • espentan@lemmy.worldEnglish
      15·
      6 months ago

      I’m not familiar with the story you’re referring to, but typically a hard landing doesn’t necessitate a search/rescue team. Unless it’s a very hard “landing” into the side of a mountain, for example.

      • Blackmist@feddit.ukEnglish
        7·
        6 months ago

        The fact that they haven’t found them yet, indicates a very hard landing indeed.

        • SupraMario@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          6 months ago

          At what point does it become just a crash.

          Maybe this will help the Iranian people overthrow their oppressive theocratic government.

          • Blackmist@feddit.ukEnglish
            1·
            6 months ago

            Doubt it, even if Khamenei was on board. Like everywhere else, there are just too many powerful people with too much to lose.