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Iranian president's helicopter convoy incident confirmed by minister

CGTN

 , Updated 23:06, 19-May-2024
Iranian state TV broadcasts news on an incident involving a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in northwestern Iran, May 19, 2024. /CFP
Iranian state TV broadcasts news on an incident involving a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in northwestern Iran, May 19, 2024. /CFP

Iranian state TV broadcasts news on an incident involving a helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in northwestern Iran, May 19, 2024. /CFP

One of the helicopters in a convoy carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had a rough landing, the country's Interior Minister Ahmed Vahidi confirmed to state TV on Sunday, adding that rescue teams are being hampered by difficult weather conditions.

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was among passengers in the incident, state TV added.

The interior minister said some contacts had been made with the members of the president's accompanying team, but given that the region was a "complicated" one, establishing contacts was difficult.

Rescue teams were headed to the area to locate him and other officials, state media reported. "The harsh weather conditions and heavy fog have made it difficult for the rescue teams to reach the accident site," state TV said in an on-screen news alert.

The accident happened in the mountainous forest area of Dizmar near the town of Varzaghan, according to the official IRNA news agency.

Raisi, 63, was visiting the province on Sunday where he inaugurated a dam project. His convoy included three helicopters, and the other two had "reached their destination safely," according to Tasnim news agency.

(With input from agencies)

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