Iranian President Dies In Crash Of Pre-Revolution Bell-212 Helicopter

The Iranian president, Ebrahim Raisi, died after his Bell 212 helicopter crashed in foggy weather in northern Iran. Ebrahim was returning onboard the helicopter after meeting the President of Azerbaijan in Azerbaijan and attending the opening of the Qiz Qala Si dam. The Bell 212 is a medium helicopter that first flew in 1968. It was sold to Iran by the United States in large numbers before the 1979 Revolution. Today, the Iranian Air Force is mostly made up of older pre-revolutionary aircraft that are kept flying despite decades of sanctions against Iran.