Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian have died in a helicopter crash. The weather at the place where this accident took place was very bad due to which the rescue teams had to face a lot of difficulties in reaching the spot. President Raisi's helicopter was found completely burnt in the accident. Along with the President and the Foreign Minister, the Governor of East Azerbaijan and representatives of the Iranian Supreme Leader in East Azerbaijan were also present in the helicopter.
Raisi's convoy was accompanied by two more helicopters which were traveling in Iran's East Azerbaijan province. Questions are being raised regarding the accident as to how it was possible that two helicopters of the convoy reached safely and Raisi's helicopter was the victim of the crash. Answers to the questions will be found only after investigation, but Iran's weak aviation system can also be held responsible for this accident. The aviation security history of Iran and its military has been no less bad. This problem has increased further due to dense fog in the hilly areas.
In which plane was Ibrahim Raisi?
President Ibrahim Raisi was flying in a US-made Bell 212 helicopter, which had to make an emergency landing in a forest near the border with Azerbaijan due to bad weather and fog. The helicopter model was made in America and could not be sold to Iran after the 1979 revolution.
The track record of Bell 212 has also been bad. The most recent fatal accident caused by this aircraft occurred last year in September 2023. A privately operated plane had crashed off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. A similar accident took place in 2018, in which four people were killed. The Bell 212 can carry 15 people including crew. It is also suited for deploying aerial firefighting gear and ferrying cargo.
Poor condition of planes in Iran
Iran has been struggling with a shortage of civil aircraft since the 1990s. Due to sanctions, it has become almost impossible for Iran to buy new aircraft or spare parts from Western companies. To compensate for this shortage, Iran resorted to leasing old aircraft or purchasing spare parts through middlemen. Currently, 21 airlines operate in the country but according to the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran, only 171 Iranian airplanes operate in total.
Many military aircraft in Iran still date back to the country's 1979 revolution. According to reports, about 2,000 Iranians have died in accidents since 1979. The average age of aircraft used by Iran's two major airlines – Iran Air and Mahan Air – is often more than 20 years, and in some cases more than 30 years. Most of which are in need of repair themselves. Iran has started manufacturing aircraft like IR.AN-140 on its own. During the last five years, 108 airliners have been added to the Iranian passenger aircraft fleet.
Most air accidents
The Aviation Safety Network recorded 22 fatal air accidents in Iran since 2000. Iran has recorded 152 air accidents since 1919, far ahead of Egypt, which saw 126 incidents. A Russian-made Ilyushin Il-76MD carrying Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp personnel crashed into a mountain near the city of Kerman during high winds, killing 275 people.
Fighter aircraft mostly belong to which country?
Iran currently has mostly Russian MiG and Sukhoi fighter aircraft. Apart from this, Iran also has Chinese J-7 aircraft. Some American F-4 and F-5 fighter jets from before the Islamic Revolution of 1979 are also part of its fleet. Despite global sanctions, Iran has imported at least $236 million worth of aircraft and drone engine parts from countries including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Germany and even Ukraine and the US in the last 10 years, according to data from the Customs Organization. Have imported.
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