‘No signs of helicopter’s occupants being alive’: Red Crescent

President of the Iranian Red Crescent: Rescuers arrived at the remains of the president's helicopter, and upon discovering its ill-fated location, no traces of the lives of its passengers were found.

The head of the Iranian Red Crescent said the rescue teams have reached the site of the crash. And in minutes, the rescue teams are going to reach the wreckage of the helicopter as well.

So now, we are receiving the videos from the rescue teams. They’re saying that the entire cabin of the helicopter is significantly damaged and burned. And they say that as of now, there are no signs of the survivors on the site.

Iran's Red Crescent chief says Raisi's helicopter found, situation 'not good' - photo of the crash site:

Finding the location of the Iranian President's helicopter and rescue teams approaching him. - Oman News Agency

A Group of Senior Officers with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have arrived at the Command Center for Search-and-Rescue Operations near the City of Tabriz in Northwestern Iran, with them reported to now be in Direct Command of any further Search and Recovery Planning.

The Fars News Agency cites the head of the Red Crescent in Iran’s East Azerbaijan region as saying that rescue teams are being sent to an area emitting heat, which was detected by a Turkish drone helping with the search operation.

The spot is suspected to be the site of the crash.

The official said the location is in an area called Tavil. Iran’s Press TV also reported that rescue forces are heading towards the spot.

Paul Beaver, an aviation expert and former helicopter pilot, says the cloud cover, fog, mist and low temperature must have contributed to the crash of the Iranian president’s aircraft.

He added that unlike fixed-wing planes, helicopters cannot easily fly above the weather. “Helicopters don’t have that luxury,” Beaver told Al Jazeera.

Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Resul Sedar says local reports indicate that the suspected crash site detected by the Turkish drone is 100km (62 miles) from the city of Tabriz, near a village called Tavil.

He said rescue teams are trying to reach the area now.

“None of the rescue teams have been able to reach the helicopter and to tell us exactly whether the president, the foreign minister and the other people in the helicopters are alive or not,” Sedar said.

The Sun has now risen in Northwestern Iran where Search-and-Rescue Operations are still underway for the Crash Site of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s Helicopter, which Crashed well over 15 Hours Ago. Weather Conditions have begun to Clear but Snow, Rain, and Fog are expected… pic.twitter.com/zkDm1gRu4Z

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) May 20, 2024

Rick Scott, a key Republican lawmaker, appears to welcome the Iranian president’s crash.

“He was not loved or respected & he will be missed by no one,” Scott said of Raisi in a social media post. “If he’s gone, I truly hope the Iranian people have the chance to take their country back from murderous dictators.”

His comments stand in stark contrast with the numerous foreign officials and countries expressing concern for Raisi’s safety, including many US allies in the Middle East.

urkey’s state news agency Anadolu is reporting that the Akinci drone, which has been deployed to Iran, has detected a “source of heat” suspected to be the wreckage of helicopter carrying Iranian President Raisi.

The report said that Turkey shared its coordinates with Iranian authorities.

The heat source point identified by the Turkish march is located in mountainous forests near a village called Tawil in East Azerbaijan Province.

Akinci UAV identifies source of heat suspected to be wreckage of helicopter carrying Iranian President Raisi and shares its coordinates with Iranian authorities

A Turkish march monitors a heat source believed to be the wreckage of the helicopter that was carrying the Iranian president.

Several Gulf countries have expressed wishes for Raisi’s safety, saying they are following the rescue efforts with concern. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry expressed “readiness to provide all forms of support” and said it hopes Raisi is safe.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry also said it was prepared to assist in the search efforts, adding that the kingdom “stands by the Islamic Republic during these difficult circumstances”.

The UAE expressed “sincere wishes of success to the search and rescue operation” and said that its embassy in Tehran is available to provide help. Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry said it was following the incident with concern, adding that it stands with Iran in this difficult moment.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has shared a statement with an update on rescue efforts. Here’s what it said: “On Sunday afternoon, a helicopter carrying the President, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and several companions unfortunately had an accident in the Varzaghan region of East Azerbaijan province.” “Despite adverse weather and environmental conditions, efforts by rescue teams to reach the accident site continue earnestly and with hope.”

Here’s more from the Iranian Foreign Ministry statement: The ministry says Iran “sincerely thanks the numerous governments, nations, and international organisations for their expressions of human emotion and solidarity with the government and people of Iran”. It also offered gratitude for “offers of help and assistance for the search and rescue operation”. Several governments and international organisations have offered logistic help as the Iranian Red Crescent says it has deployed 40 separate rescue teams to the region. They include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, as well as the European Commission, which says it has activated satellite mapping to assist with the search.

Raisi has been part of the Iranian establishment since the early 1980s. He grew up with the establishment, at least in the judiciary branch of it. And clearly he’s been active, and he’s been credible within the establishment – allowing him eventually after 40 years to be a candidate to the presidency, basically smooth sailing to the post after not being truly competed against by the reformists. Now, even within the conservative hardline wing of the establishment, there are also nuances, and there are personal differences. But Raisi has proved to be more of a steady hand, possibly because of his judiciary experience.

Russia is sending 47 rescue specialists and a helicopter to assist with search efforts, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations has said in a statement. It added that the specialised equipment was being loaded at Russia’s Zhukovsky airport before departing for Iran’s Tabriz.

#سلطنة_عُمان is following with great concern the incident of the disappearance of the helicopter carrying His Excellency Dr. #إبراهيم_رئيسي President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and a number of companions, expressing its solidarity, calls, and readiness to provide support and assistance.

The Iranian Red Crescent heads towards a site where rescue teams reported the smell of fuel emanating.

Additional Military, Emergency, and Search-and-Rescue Teams continue to arrive at a Base Camp established near the Northwestern Iranian City of Jolfa, near where the Helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi is believed to have Crashed. However, due to Rain and Mud the movement of Vehicles towards the Crash Site is now determined to be Impossible, with Rescue Teams continuing On-Foot.

Today, after meeting with the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ibrahim Raisi in a friendly way, we were seriously worried by the news that the helicopter carrying the high delegation made an emergency landing in Iran. Our prayers to Almighty God are with President Ibrahim Raisi and his accompanying delegation. As a neighboring, friendly and brotherly country, the Republic of Azerbaijan is ready to provide all kinds of support. @raisi.com

The Iranian Chief of Staff directs the Armed Forces, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and the police to use all their capabilities to search for a helicopter #الرئيس_الإيراني Iranian_President

If President Raisi is not found alive, Vice-President Mohammad Mokhber will take his place, new elections will have to be called within the next 50 days - Iranian media

The big news will come out in few minutes, as a rescue team approaches the scene of the accident - IRIB

Iranian Minister of Health: We provided all capabilities to treat #الرئيس_الإيراني Iranian_President and those with him as soon as his helicopter was found.

Iranian official to reuters: 'Lives of president Raisi and Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian at risk following helicopter crash' — Reuters

The four Iranian officials who were in the helicopter according to the reports:

Ibrahim Raisi - President of Iran

Hussein Amir Abdel-Lahyan - Minister of Foreign Affairs (bottom left)

Malek Rahmati - Governor of East Azerbaijan Province (below right)

Muhammad Ali al-Hashem - imam in the province of Tabriz (top left)

Iranian official: We still have hope, but the information coming from the site of the Iranian president’s helicopter crash is very disturbing

Iranian television broadcasts images of rescue teams arriving at the area of ​​a helicopter accident #الرئيس_الإيراني in Warzagan and beginning search operations.

⚡Tasnim Agency: 8 ambulances were sent to the site of the accident

A rescue team has just reported that the exact location of the accident has been determined, in a few minutes we will reach the last GPS signal sent by President Raisi's helicopter.

Iranian government spokesman Ali Bahadori Jahromi: An emergency session of the government crisis management committee was held at #إيران in order to follow up on the search for the Iranian president’s helicopter.

Footage coming in on #Iran regime state media showing a team of rescuers traveling to locate the aircraft crash site carrying Raisi and his delegation:

Search and rescue operation.#Iran

pic.twitter.com/mRIMN3IKJs

— Arslan Baloch (@balochi5252) May 19, 2024

Dense fog complicates search and rescue efforts in the Iranian president's plane accident.

The Iranian president's plane landed with difficulty in the "Dizmar Forest" in the general area between Warzaqan and Julfa in the eastern #أذربيجان province - OmanNewsAgency

Iranian Red Crescent: We sent a helicopter and rescue teams from 4 provinces: West #أذربيجان East Azerbaijan, #زنجان and #أدربيل to the difficult landing site of the helicopter that was carrying the Iranian President and his accompanying delegation.

Rescue teams arrive at the area of ​​the Iranian President's helicopter accident at  (Varzeqan ) #ورزقان and search operations have begun. - Oman News Agency

Bad weather conditions hinder relief teams from reaching the Iranian president's helicopter. - Oman News Agency

The photo going around is old, stop saying he’s dead and stop saying nothing happened. Wait for actual info from officials.