Iranian Presidential Helicopter Accident, Indonesian Government Concerned And Prayed

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed concern and prayed for the best, along with reports of a helicopter crash carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his entourage.

"The Indonesian government is following with great concern the helicopter that befell the Iranian President, YM Ebrahim Raisi, Iranian Foreign Minister, YM Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and the accompanying delegates," wrote the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on social media X, as quoted Monday, May 20.

"Our prayers are drawn for them and all the Iranian people," continued the upload.

As previously reported, Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi confirmed to national TV that one of the presidential convoy helicopters had an emergency landing on Sunday, announcing search and rescue efforts were underway to find President Ebrahim Raisi's helicopter.

Iran's Vice President for Executive Affairs Mohsen Mansouri said on Sunday President Raisi's helicopter and two other helicopters were on their way to Tabriz city, after the president and his Azerbaijanan counterparts inaugurated the Qiz Qalasi Dam on the border of the two countries.

After flying for half an hour, President Raisi's helicopter lost contact with two other helicopters, prompting them to conduct a search in the area, he said, quoted from IRNA.

Most recently, hopes of finding Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian during an accident in mountainous areas and cold weather faded, an Iranian official said Monday after a search team found its ruins.

"President Raisi's helicopter caught fire in the accident. Unfortunately, all passengers are feared to be killed," the official told Reuters.

Meanwhile, CNN quoted Iran's state news agency IRINN and semi-official Mehr News news agency as reporting, "no survivors" were found at the crash site of President Raisi's helicopter.

Rescue teams battled tough snowstorms and terrain throughout the night to reach ruins in East Azerbaijan Province in the early hours of Monday.

"We can see the debris and the situation is not good," Iran's Red Crescent Head, Pirhossein Kolivand, told state TV.