Iranian President missing, feared dead, in helicopter crash

He says the nation "should pray" for Raisi's health, state broadcaster IRIB reports.
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Independent of the politics, there are people who know and love the President, the other passengers, and the helo crew.
For those people I hope all have survived.

And them too,

12:14
Red Crescent denies reports of missing rescue workers
Earlier, a spokesperson for the Red Crescent said three of the group's rescue workers had gone missing during the search for the crashed helicopter.
The organisation has now said that none of its workers are missing.
"All official updates about rescue operation will either come from the task force in charge of these operations," a spokeswoman added.
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pathology_doc said:
On that note, someone online is purported to have said "Can we please have a moment of silence for the helicopter?"
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What I find delightful is that the helicopter is (at least originally) an american type (Bell 212): perhaps from the days of the Shah. It is kind of delayed karmic vengeance by The Great Satan.

https://www.reuters.com/world/middl...licopter-carrying-irans-president-2024-05-20/

Do we know whether Iran's Bell 212s are 50 years old relics from the Shah era - or did they bought more recent ones since 1980 ?

Well, found my answer. https://www.euronews.com/2024/05/20...ent-end-up-on-a-four-decade-old-us-helicopter

Karmic vengeance, I told you.
 
Considering thay had only two bell 212 until recently was there any real reason thay weren't replaced by ether something Russia like the VIP version of the Mi-17/171 or a Iranian made 212?
 
The Bell 212, which according to local media was operated by the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, was probably acquired before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. However, the U.S. arms embargo against the Government of the Islamic Republic and the renamed Air Force of the Islamic Republic of Iran soon caused most Western-made aircraft to fall into disuse. The Tehran regime, however, continued to operate a limited number of aircraft from the existing fleet and reverse engineer the necessary parts. However, some of the planes purchased by the Shah are still in operation. Although Iran's current capabilities are unknown, a 2024 estimate by Flight Global stated that at least two Bell 212s were still operating in the country. Experts have pointed out that the Bell 212, which is more than 40 years old, was built to fly in visual flight conditions, meaning that the pilot had to rely solely on his ability to observe the terrain from his seat. Despite its proven longevity, doubts have been raised about whether it was fit for purpose. The fact that the regime in Tehran has been under Western sanctions for decades may have contributed to the helicopter's inadequate maintenance.

https://es.euronews.com/2024/05/20/...ptero-estadounidense-de-40-anos-de-antiguedad
 
I dont like it one bit. Too much stuff going too fast. I feel that we live in an age of novelty that even the post-war atomic age could not imagine. I fear it will not be slowing down.
 
On the contrary, I think that things had been at a standstill since 1973 by a generation that did not want the twentieth century to end. If at a party you don't know who the old man is, then the old man is you.:)
 
To clarify the age of Raissi's Bell 212 helicopter, Marines One's helicopters are also quite old, if not older.
The VH-3D entered service in the late 70s. And the VH-60N "WhiteHawk" entered service in 1988.
So the age of the 1994's Bell 212 doesn't shock me.
 
Good question. Supposedly the Iranian Navy operates another 8 Model 212s, but those are supposedly the Agusta-Bell variants. Flight Global lists all of them as "Bell 212", but since the Iranian Navy ones are specifically listed in other sources as being the AB212ASW models, maybe they obtained them from that source? Or maybe they were able to get some spare parts for the civilian Bell/AB 212s, or even convert some of the spares for their Bell 214s (both the Bell 212 & 214 being derivates of the Bell 205, the primary difference apparently being the powerplant)?
 

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