Iran has requested a night vision search and rescue helicopter from Turkey following the helicopter accident, the Turkish disaster management agency said…reports Asian Lite News
Turkey has sent a drone to participate in the search and rescue operations for the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, which had an accident in Iran’s northwestern province of East Azerbaijan.
“Based on the request made by the Iranian authorities through the Foreign Ministry, an Akinci UAV and a Cougar-type helicopter with night vision capability were assigned to participate in the search and rescue activities of the crashed helicopter of the President of Iran and his delegation,” the Defence Ministry said on Sunday evening in a statement.
The drone has been dispatched, while the helicopter remains on standby, prepared to engage pending favourable weather conditions, according to the Ministry as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.
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Iran has requested a night vision search and rescue helicopter from Turkey following the helicopter accident, the Turkish disaster management agency said.
Turkey is also sending 32 search and rescue mountaineers and six vehicles to support Iran’s rescue operation, the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority said in a statement.
In addition, mountaineer search and rescue teams, consisting of 15 people each from Ankara, Diyarbakir, and Konya provinces are on standby to be dispatched, the statement added.
Turkey closely follows the incident in full liaison and coordination with the Iranian authorities and is ready to provide all necessary support, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier said on social media platform X on Sunday.
The site of the helicopter accident is close to Turkey’s eastern Van province.
A helicopter carrying Iranian President Raisi had an accident and made a hard landing in East Azerbaijan on Sunday, the state-run IRIB TV reported.
The possible site of the incident has been determined to be in Varzaqan, nearly 670 km away from the capital Tehran, and rescue teams have been dispatched to the scene, the report said.
Iran Holds Emergency Meeting After Raisi’s Helicopter Accident
The Iranian Cabinet has convened for an emergency meeting in light of the helicopter accident involving President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hussein Amirabdollahian, state media reported.
The first Vice-President, Mohammad Mokhber, chaired the meeting late Sunday evening, state news agency IRNA reported.
He initiated further measures for the rescue operation.
According to protocol, Mockber would become President in the event of Raisi’s death.
Rescue workers continued to search on foot after dark for the scene of the helicopter accident, in poor weather conditions.
A total of 65 rescue teams were involved in the search for the helicopter’s crew, including the Iranian armed forces.
According to the Tasnim news agency, the accident site has been located.
The Iranian government asked the rescue services in neighbouring Turkey for assistance in the search. Both Turkey and Russia had offered their help.
In particular, helicopters with night vision equipment were requested.
Meanwhile, special mountain rescue units also arrived in the accident region, IRNA reported.
The Iranian President’s helicopter came in for what has been called a “hard landing” on Sunday in the northwest of the country after a meeting between Raisi and the President of neighbouring Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.
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