Rhino: Agencies – Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency said on Wednesday, citing a security source familiar with the final results of an investigation into the circumstances of a helicopter crash that killed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in May, that the cause was weather conditions and the plane’s inability to carry the weight on board.
A preliminary report released by Iran’s military in May said there was no indication of suspicion or attack during investigations into the circumstances of the crash.
‘The investigation into the Ayatollah Raisi’s helicopter crash is complete,’ the informed security source told the unnamed Fars news agency. ‘There is absolute certainty that what happened was an accident.
According to the agency, the source added that two reasons were identified for the incident, namely that the weather conditions were not favorable at the time and that the helicopter could not support the weight, which led to its collision with a mountain.
The source also told the agency that investigations indicated that the helicopter was carrying two more people than the number recommended by security protocols.
The accident claimed the life of Raisi, who was a staunch conservative and a potential successor to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and occurred in a mountainous area near the border with Azerbaijan.