A helicopter crash that led to the death of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi in May was attributed to adverse weather conditions and the helicopter’s inability to manage the weight it was carrying.
Iran’s semi-official news agency reported on Wednesday, citing a security source familiar with the final investigation findings.
The Armed Forces General Staff’s communications center, which is in charge of disseminating information related to the crash investigation, dismissed this report as “completely false,” according to state media.
Back in May, Iran’s military had released a preliminary report stating that no evidence of foul play or an attack had been found during their investigation.
“The investigation in the case of Ayatollah Raisi’s helicopter crash has been completed … there is complete certainty that what happened was an accident,” the unnamed security source told Fars.
The source further explained that the crash was due to two main factors: the unsuitable weather conditions and the helicopter’s inability to handle the weight, which caused it to collide with a mountain.
Additionally, the investigation revealed that the helicopter was carrying two people beyond the capacity allowed by security protocols, as reported by Fars.
Raisi, who was once considered a possible successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, died in the crash that occurred in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border.
