Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi Presidency/WANA (West Asia News Agency). Photo via REUTERS
President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister helicopter crashed on Sunday when crossing mountain terrain in heavy fog as stated by an Iranian official to Reuters and rescuers were trying to reach the site of the incident.
The report from Iranian official said the lives of Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian were "at risk following the helicopter crash", which happened on the way back from a visit to the border with Azerbaijan in Iran's northwest.
"We are still hopeful but information coming from the crash site is very concerning," the official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
State TV quoted an official as saying at least one passenger and one crew member had been in contact with rescuers.
A Turkish drone identified a source of heat suspected to be the helicopter's wreckage and had shared the coordinates of the possible crash site with Iranian authorities, Anadolu news agency said on X.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate power with a final say on foreign policy and Iran's nuclear programme, sought to reassure Iranians, saying there would be no disruption to state affairs.
Iranian state media said bad weather caused the crash and was complicating rescue efforts. State news agency IRNA said Raisi was flying in a U.S.-made Bell 212 helicopter.
The chief of staff of Iran's army ordered all resources of the army and the elite Revolutionary Guards to be put to use in search and rescue operations.
Earlier, the national broadcaster had stopped all regular programming to show prayers being held for Raisi across the country.
In the early hours of Monday, it showed a rescue team, wearing bright jackets and head torches, huddled around a GPS device as they searched a pitch-black mountainside on foot amid a snowy blizzard.
“We are thoroughly searching every inch of the general area of the crash," state media quoted a regional army commander as saying. "The area has very cold, rainy, and foggy weather conditions. The rain is gradually turning into snow."
Neighbouring countries expressed concern and offered assistance in any rescue. The White House said U.S. President Joe Biden had been briefed on reports about the crash. Turkey said it had assigned a drone, a helicopter, vehicles and a rescue team after a request by Iranian authorities. The European Union offered emergency satellite mapping technology.
Source: Reuters
伊朗總統萊西的直升機墜毀後情況不明
一名伊朗官員告訴路透社，一架載有伊朗總統易卜拉欣·萊西和外交部長的直升機週日在大霧中穿越山區時墜毀，救援人員正在努力到達事故現場。
這位官員表示，萊西和外交部長侯賽因·阿米拉卜杜拉希安“在直升機墜毀後處於危險之中”，墜機事件發生在訪問伊朗西北部與阿塞拜疆邊境的返回途中。
這位不願透露姓名的官員告訴路透社：“我們仍然充滿希望，但來自墜機現場的消息非常令人擔憂。”
國家電視台引述一名官員的話說，至少一名乘客和一名機組人員與救援人員有接觸。
阿納多盧通訊社 X 日稱，一架土耳其無人機發現了疑似直升機殘骸的熱源，並已與伊朗當局分享了可能墜機地點的座標。
伊朗最高領袖哈梅內伊對外交政策和伊朗核計畫擁有最終決定權，他試圖安撫伊朗人，表示國家事務不會受到干擾。
伊朗官方媒體稱，惡劣天氣導致了墜機事故，並使救援工作變得更加複雜。 國家通訊社 IRNA 稱，萊西乘坐的是美國製造的貝爾 212 直升機。
伊朗陸軍參謀長下令動用軍隊和精銳革命衛隊的所有資源進行搜救行動。
早些時候，國家廣播公司停止了所有常規節目，播放全國各地為萊西舉行的祈禱活動。
週一凌晨，畫面顯示一支救援隊穿著鮮豔的夾克，頭戴頭燈，擠在 GPS 設備周圍，在暴風雪中徒步搜索漆黑的山坡。
官方媒體引述一名地區陸軍指揮官的話說：“我們正在徹底搜查事故發生地的每一寸地方。該地區的天氣非常寒冷、多雨、多霧。” 雨正在逐漸變成雪。
鄰國表達了關切，並願意為救援提供援助。 白宮表示，美國總統拜登已聽取有關墜機事件的報導。 土耳其表示，應伊朗當局的要求，它已派遣一架無人機、一架直升機、車輛和一支救援隊。 歐盟提供了緊急衛星測繪技術。
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