Fog Blamed for Helicopter Crash Killing Iranian President

The final investigation by the Iranian Armed Forces into the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of President Ebrahim Raeisi and his companions in May says the incident was caused by weather conditions that included thick fog.

The helicopter carrying 63-year-old Raeisi, former foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and six others came down on May 19 on a fog-shrouded mountainside in northwestern Iran.

The report, published by the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, ruled out sabotage or tampering as the reason behind the tragic incident, saying the "complex climatic and atmospheric conditions of the region in the spring was the main cause of the crash."

It added that "the sudden emergence of a thick mass of dense and rising fog" caused the helicopter to crash into the mountainside.

According to the report, all documents related to the helicopter's repairs and maintenance since its purchase and use before the incident were thoroughly reviewed by military and civilian experts, who announced that all the measures had been conducted under standard regulations. 

It noted that experts also examined the helicopter's flight path and confirmed that it adhered to its predetermined route and had no deviation during the flight.

It added that Iran’s Defense Ministry’s experts precisely examined the remaining parts and systems from the crashed helicopter—including engines, power transmission systems, fuel systems, and electronic equipment— and found no defects that could have caused the crash.

The report further said a forensic committee conducted toxicological and pathological tests on the remains of the victims and found no suspicious case.

The investigation also ruled out the possibility of any act of sabotage of the crashed copter’s parts and systems. It also rejected that the helicopter may have been targeted by offensive and defensive systems, cyber-attacks, or magnetic fields and lasers.