Barran Press
Two months after the tragic incident, Iran has officially attributed the helicopter crash that killed former President Ebrahim Raisi in May to adverse weather conditions.
According to the semi-official Fars news agency, a source close to the investigation revealed that the final report concluded the helicopter, a Bell 212, was unable to handle the weight it was carrying and crashed into a mountain.
An initial report by the Iranian military in May had ruled out any suspicion of foul play or attack.
The source, whose name was not disclosed, told Fars, "The investigation into the crash of President Raisi's helicopter is complete. There is absolute certainty that what happened was an accident."
The source attributed the crash to two factors: unfavorable weather conditions at the time of the incident and the helicopter's inability to support the weight, leading to the collision with the mountain.
The investigation also revealed that the helicopter was carrying two more passengers than the number recommended by security protocols.
Raisi was traveling to Tabriz in East Azerbaijan province, northwest Iran, after inaugurating a dam on the border with Azerbaijan, when his helicopter crashed.
Reports from the crash site indicated dense fog in a mountainous area with rugged terrain, delaying rescue teams for hours.
The Bell 212 helicopter, dating back to the late 1960s, was developed by Bell Helicopter, now known as Bell Textron, for the Canadian military as an upgrade to the original UH-1 Iroquois.
The new design featured twin turbine engines instead of a single engine, providing greater carrying capacity.
Bloomberg reported that the Bell 212 model, first flown in 1968 and introduced in 1971, ceased production in 1998.
According to its European Union Aviation Safety Agency certification documents, the helicopter can accommodate 15 people, including the crew.
The last fatal accident involving a Bell 212 helicopter occurred in September 2023, when a privately owned aircraft crashed off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, according to the Fly Safety Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on aviation safety.