Iran President Raisi’s helicopter found, situation ‘not good’

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The chief of Iran’s Red Crescent said on Monday that the missing helicopter which was carrying President Ebrahim Raisi had been found but the situation was “not good”.

“The helicopter has been found. Now, we are moving toward the helicopter,” said Red Crescent chief Pirhossein Koolivand, adding “the situation is not good”.

The president’s helicopter, which was also carrying Iran’s foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, apparently crashed on Sunday as it was crossing mountain terrain in heavy fog.

The incident occurred on the way back from a visit to the border with Azerbaijan in Iran’s northwest.

Raisi’s convoy had included three helicopters, and the other two had “reached their destination safely”, said the Tasnim news agency. State news agency IRNA said Raisi was flying in a US-made Bell 212 helicopter.

More to follow …

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