After several hours of search and rescue, the crash site of the helicopter carrying the Iranian president has been confirmed.
There are still many unresolved mysteries regarding the occurrence of this accident.
Reportedly, the helicopter carrying the Iranian president was part of a fleet.
From the photos, the fleet included Russian-made Mi-17 series and Italian-made Bell-212 helicopters.
Current photos indicate that the president was on a Bell-212 at the time, but the specific details of the accident remain unclear.
Besides Iranian President Raisi and Foreign Minister Abdollahian, East Azerbaijan Governor Malik Rahmati was also on the helicopter.
According to reports, the fleet consisted of three helicopters. Apart from the helicopter carrying the president, which crashed, the other two landed safely despite heavy fog and strong winds.
However, the crash site is located in a mountainous jungle area, accompanied by strong winds and dense fog, making the rescue operation extremely difficult.
The crash site is about 600 kilometers from Tehran, requiring rescuers to trek a long distance to reach the scene.
Initially, the crash site was not identified, but it was later confirmed by spotting fire and heat sources from a Turkish drone.
The crash site is in a wooded area on a steep slope, and even after rescuers reached the vicinity, reaching the exact location still involved considerable challenges.
Thus, despite substantial efforts, effective rescue operations could not be conducted immediately.
The Red Crescent head stated that after confirming the crash site, no signs of survivors were found.
The helicopter's rotor and cockpit were burnt, and rescuers could not detect any temperature through thermal imaging.
The Bell-212 helicopter has become the focus of media attention. Iran has a total of four Bell-212 helicopters, with two serving in the air force and the other two used for VIP transport.
The helicopter involved in the accident was reportedly transferred from the air force three years ago and modified for government VIP transport.
Many netizens are concerned about the aircraft's age.
This Bell-212 helicopter is quite old, with Iran's Bell-212 fleet having an average age of over 30 years.
Obtaining official Bell-212 parts is quite difficult. Although there are reports that Iran can produce and maintain the Bell-212 independently, no detailed information supports this claim.
Such old aircraft, like the Bell-212, face significant risks when flying in adverse weather conditions, especially in mountainous areas with strong winds and thick fog.
Helicopters in distress can land using autorotation, but this requires good visibility, as the pilot must clearly see the landing spot.
In foggy and mountainous environments, pilots find it challenging to judge the ground distance, making it very dangerous to control the helicopter's descent path, especially when facing steep slopes or towering peaks, adding complexity to the accident.
Severe weather conditions, such as heavy fog, posed significant difficulties for rescue operations.
Images from the accident site show that the helicopter crashed into a mountain.
Currently, the root cause of the crash cannot be determined, but adverse weather conditions and mechanical failure are undoubtedly key areas needing investigation.
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