Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Russian agency: Russia will conduct a nuclear test if the US does
Al-Nakhalah: We are the rightful owners, and we must fight to retrieve our rights
Al-Nakhalah: The enemy and its allies must know that we can never surrender to their terms and diktats after all the sacrifices made
Al-Nakhalah: The prisoner exchange clause can be completed in the next few days, and thus we will have pulled the [explosion] fuse and removed the enemy's justifications for aggression
Al-Nakhalah: The Resistance has expressed its willingness to negotiate on the basis that there are items that can be dealt with positively, the first of which is the prisoner exchange item
Al-Nakhalah: Trump's plan entails the Palestinian people's declaration of complete surrender to the enemy
PIJ Secretary-General, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, in an address aired on Al Mayadeen: The Resistance is engaging in a fierce negotiating battle under the so-called Trump plan
Russian Federation Council approves joint military cooperation agreement with Cuba
Al-Nunu: Today, the lists of prisoners required to be released, the agreed-upon criteria and numbers, were exchanged
Al-Nunu from Sharm el-Sheikh: Negotiations focused on mechanisms for implementing an end to the war, the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, and the exchange of prisoners

Copter carrying Iran's President makes hard landing in East Azerbaijan

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 19 May 2024 17:03
  • 4 Shares
4 Min Read

Iranian state TV says the helicopter was one of three helicopters carrying Raisi and his accompanying delegation of senior officials.

  • x
  • Iranian president
    A handout picture provided by Iran's Presidency on December 23, 2023, shows Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (C) and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (L) attending the Tehran International Conference on Palestine in Iran's capital. (Iranian Presidency/AFP)

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi makes a hard landing in East Azerbaijan Province, Iranian media reported Sunday.

Iranian state TV mentioned that the helicopter was one of three carrying Raisi and his accompanying delegation of senior officials, which also included Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and the Friday Prayers Imam of Tabriz, in addition to other officials.

The TV added that Raisi's helicopter was forced to land due to bad weather conditions. It confirmed that rescue teams had headed to the scene of the incident, adding that the bad weather conditions in the western region of Iran were hindering the rescue teams' access to the location.

Iranian Army Chief of Staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri ordered the employment of all resources of the army and the Guards for rescue and search operations.

Initial footage shows the arrival of rescue teams and the beginning of search operations for the helicopter that was carrying the Iranian president and his accompanying delegation. #Iran pic.twitter.com/PyGvrq1nCa

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 19, 2024

Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi told state TV that "various rescue groups are moving toward the site, but due to the fog and bad weather, it may take time to reach the area," adding that "operations are under control."

Vahidi explained that "there have been contacts with [the president's] companions, but given that the area is mountainous and it is difficult to establish contacts," expressing hope that "rescue teams will reach the site of the incident sooner and give us more information."

#WATCH | More footage shows rescue teams during their search operations for the helicopter that was carrying the Iranian president and his accompanying delegation amid evident bad weather conditions.#Iran pic.twitter.com/kKwYSDmpxr

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) May 19, 2024

Iran's Nour News Agency said that 16 relief teams headed to the area, but the mountainous terrain in the forest and bad weather conditions are hindering relief operations.

It added that relief teams arrived an hour later at the scene of the incident in Varzeghan and began search operations immediately.

Local Iranian media have reported that it is heavily raining in the area in Varzeghan District, and it is hard for the rescue and search teams to walk in the dense fog.

Related News

Israeli media: Syria, 'Israel' moving toward security deal

India blocks Azerbaijan's SCO membership bid, sparking diplomatic row

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Iran said that the location of the Iranian president's helicopter has been identified near the village of Uzi in the Arasbaran forests, pointing out that the weather conditions and the geographical nature of the location are hindering access to the site of the incident.

Iranian Red Crescent President Pir Hossein Kolivand told Iranian television that 40 teams are participating in the search operations for the Iranian president's helicopter, but due to bad weather conditions, aerial search operations cannot further proceed.

Kolivand added that one of the rescue teams reached an area near the possible location of the incident of the presidential helicopter.

Later, state media reported that the dispatched rescue teams would reach the probable coordinates of President Raisi's helicopter within half an hour, while Al Mayadeen's correspondent revealed that four rescue teams approached the landing site of the helicopter carrying Iranian President Raisi, with a total of 46 teams deployed.

However, shortly after, citing an Iranian Red Crescent source, Al Mayadeen's correspondent said that the roads leading to the location of the helicopter were no longer passable due to heavy rain, adding that rescue teams were now advancing on foot due to the difficult road conditions.

On his part, the spokesperson for the Iranian government confirmed that a cabinet meeting will be held today to discuss the latest developments. 

Meanwhile, the Iranian government's Crisis Management Committee held an emergency session to follow up on the search operations, our correspondent said.

According to Al Mayadeen's correspondent, Iranian Vice President Mohammad Mokhber has headed to Tabriz to oversee the search operations.

Publicly, Iranian media published footage of Iranians praying and hoping for the safety of Raisi and his accompanying delegation at the Imam Reza shrine in the city of Mashhad.

الإيرانيون يصلون ويدعون لسلامة #الرئيس_الإيراني والمسؤولين الآخرين في مرقد الإمام الرضا في مدينة #مشهد.#إيران #إبراهيم_رئيسي pic.twitter.com/v7j8bB6koZ

— قناة الميادين (@AlMayadeenNews) May 19, 2024

Earlier on Sunday, Raisi had arrived at Tabriz Airport to participate in the inauguration ceremony of the joint Qiz Qalasi dam on the Aras River, which borders Iran and Azerbaijan, in the presence of his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev.

This is a developing story...

  • Azerbaijan
  • East Azerbaijan province
  • Ebrahim Raisi
  • Ahmad Vahidi
  • Hossein Amir-Abdollahian
  • Iran

Most Read

Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
ap

'Israel' pays influencers $7K per post to whitewash Gaza genocide

  • Politics
  • 1 Oct 2025
Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder revealed

Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder exposed

  • Politics
  • 5 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
Retired Israeli General Brik says Israel has reached point of no return.
Politics

Retired Israeli General Brik: 'Israel has reached point of no return'

Depleted by foreign wars, US seeks to re-arm for another confrontation
Politics

Depleted by foreign wars, US seeks to re-arm for another confrontation

Gaza’s newborns gasp for life as hospitals collapse amid Israeli war
Health

Gaza newborns gasp for life, share oxygen masks amid collapsed system

UK arms exports to 'Israel' reach record high despite ban calls
Politics

UK arms exports to 'Israel' reach record high despite ban calls

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS