Bad weather and weight caused Iran President Raisi helicopter crash

Iranian Presidency/AFP

The helicopter crash in which Iran's late President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in May was caused by weather conditions and the aircraft's inability to handle the weight it was carrying, Iran's semi-official news agency said, citing a security source informed of the final investigation results.

A preliminary report by Iran's military had said in May that no evidence of foul play or an attack had been found during the investigation.

"The investigation in the case of Ayatollah Raisi's helicopter crash have been completed ... there is complete certainty that what happened was an accident," the security source, who was not named, told Fars. 

Two reasons for the accident were identified: the weather conditions were unsuitable and the helicopter was unable to handle the weight, leading to it crashing into a mountain, the source added, according to Fars.

The investigation indicates that the helicopter was carrying two people more than the capacity that security protocols allow, the source told Fars.

Raisi, once a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the crash in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border.

More from International news

  • Israeli strikes kill 15 in Gaza, minister says no deal to halt attacks

    Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza for a second straight day on Sunday, killing at least 15 Palestinians, medics said, despite US President Donald Trump's announcement of a breakthrough in efforts to implement last year's Gaza ceasefire agreement.

  • Death toll from migrant rush into Ceuta rises to 72

    The death toll from Thursday's mass rush into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco reached at least 72 on Sunday as five more bodies were found along Ceuta's coast, officials said.

  • Ukrainian drones kill eight in Russia

    Ukrainian drone strikes killed at least eight people in Russian regions overnight and on Sunday, hitting targets including a warehouse belonging to Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, regional officials said.

  • Two helicopters collide as Greece battles wildfires

    Two firefighting helicopters collided in Greece while helping to control a huge wildfire on Sunday that has destroyed more than 100 homes northwest of Athens, while a fresh blaze forced evacuations on the popular tourist island of Kefalonia..

News