The helicopter crash that claimed the life of Iran’s late President Ebrahim Raisi in May was primarily caused by adverse weather conditions and an overloaded aircraft, according to a new report from Iran’s Fars news agency.
The findings, based on the final results of an investigation, were disclosed by an unnamed security source, as reported by Reuters on Wednesday.
The investigation revealed that the helicopter, which crashed near the Iran-Azerbaijan border, encountered severe weather and was carrying two additional passengers beyond its intended capacity.
The combination of the overload and harsh weather contributed to the helicopter’s crash into a mountainous area.
A preliminary military report released shortly after the crash found no evidence of foul play or an attack. The recent update confirms that the accident was solely due to environmental and operational factors.
Raisi died in the crash while en route to a location in the rugged terrain in May. He was a prominent hardliner and was considered a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.