The final report of the commission investigating the helicopter crash that killed Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi in May has concluded that it was caused by adverse weather conditions.
The commission, comprising specialised military and civilian experts, submitted the report on Sunday, attributing the crash to the “complex climatic and atmospheric conditions” typical of spring in northwestern Iran.
It also ruled out sabotage which was widely speculated on social media as a possible Israeli assassination.
Raisi, along with Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and their companions, were all killed when the helicopter they were traveling in crashed in the mountains near the city of Tabriz on May 19.
The group was returning from a ceremony on the border with Azerbaijan following the inauguration of a major dam project.
In the aftermath of the crash, a commission was established to investigate the causes and details of the accident, which subsequently led to a snap presidential election in the Islamic Republic.
The commission’s report stated that the inclement weather conditions in northern Iran during spring led to the sudden formation of a dense mass of fog, which caused the helicopter to collide with a mountain.
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The report indicated that all documents and records related to the helicopter’s maintenance were reviewed, and everything was found to be in accordance with the required standards.
Additionally, the documents and correspondence related to the mission of the high-ranking team aboard the helicopter were found to be “in compliance with necessary instructions, guidelines, rules, and standards.”
The report affirmed that the helicopter “followed the planned route and did not deviate from it,” noting that weather reports from the day of the accident and the day prior were also examined.
The information from the helicopter’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) was analysed, and it was confirmed that no emergency messages or distress signals were issued by the pilot.
The investigation found no evidence of suspicious activity or signs of sabotage, including the possibility of the helicopter being targeted or subjected to electronic warfare.
Raisi served as Iran’s president for three years and was succeeded by Masoud Pezeshkian following his victory in a snap presidential election in June.
