Helicopter of Iran’s Late President Raisi Crashed Due to Weather, Fars Says

Presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi looks on at a polling station during presidential elections in Tehran, Iran June 18, 2021. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
Presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi looks on at a polling station during presidential elections in Tehran, Iran June 18, 2021. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
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Helicopter of Iran’s Late President Raisi Crashed Due to Weather, Fars Says

Presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi looks on at a polling station during presidential elections in Tehran, Iran June 18, 2021. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
Presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi looks on at a polling station during presidential elections in Tehran, Iran June 18, 2021. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters

The helicopter crash in which Iran's late President Ebrahim Raisi was killed in May was caused by weather conditions and the aircraft's inability to handle the weight it was carrying, Iran's semi-official news agency reported on Wednesday, citing a security source informed of the final investigation results.

A preliminary report by Iran's military had said in May that no evidence of foul play or attack had been found so far during investigations into the crash.

"The investigation in the case of Raisi's helicopter crash have been completed ... there is complete certainty that what happened was an accident," the security source that was not named told Fars news agency.

Two reasons for the accident were identified: the weather conditions were not suitable and the helicopter was unable to handle the weight, leading to it crashing into a mountain, the source added, according to Fars.

The investigations indicate that the helicopter was carrying two individuals more than the capacity that security protocols dictate, the source told Fars.

Raisi, a hardliner and potential successor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, was killed in the crash in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border.



Earthquake of Magnitude 5.5 Hits Xinjiang, China

A view of rubble and damaged buildings at Dahejia town following the earthquake in Jishishan county, Gansu province, China December 19, 2023. (cnsphoto via Reuters)
A view of rubble and damaged buildings at Dahejia town following the earthquake in Jishishan county, Gansu province, China December 19, 2023. (cnsphoto via Reuters)
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Earthquake of Magnitude 5.5 Hits Xinjiang, China

A view of rubble and damaged buildings at Dahejia town following the earthquake in Jishishan county, Gansu province, China December 19, 2023. (cnsphoto via Reuters)
A view of rubble and damaged buildings at Dahejia town following the earthquake in Jishishan county, Gansu province, China December 19, 2023. (cnsphoto via Reuters)

An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 struck Xinjiang in China on Thursday, the country's Earthquake Networks Center said, Reuters reported.

In April, a magnitude 5.5 earthquake also struck southern Xinjiang.

That quake was at a depth of 24 km (14.91 miles), according to EMSC said.