2024 Varzaqan helicopter crash site

On 5/192024, an Iranian Air Force helicopter crashed in Bakrabad Rural District, near Varzaqan, Iran, while travelling from the Giz Galasi Dam to Tabriz, killing all onboard. The Bell 212 utility helicopter was carrying the president of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, governor-general of Iran's East Azerbaijan province, Malek Rahmati, and the representative of the Supreme Leader in East Azerbaijan, Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem. Raisi's head of security and 3 members of flight crew were also killed in the crash.

The crash took place in the East Azerbaijan province, near Iran's border with Azerbaijan. Rescue operations were hampered by the dense forest terrain and heavy rain, fog, strong winds, and snow.