Iran President Helicopter Crash Exposes Dangers of Country’s Ancient Fleet
- Iran largely banned from buying new aircraft due to sanctions
- Raisi helicopter identified as Bell 212, not made since 1998
The helicopter carrying Ebrahim Raisi taking off at the Iranian border with Azerbaijan on May 19.
Photographer: Ali Hamed Haghdoust/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
The helicopter crash that killed Iran President Ebrahim Raisi is the latest reminder of the poor state of many aircraft operating in the Islamic Republic after almost half a century of US sanctions.
Iran has been largely barred from purchasing new aircraft or aircraft components from US or European suppliers since the revolution of 1979, leaving both military and civilian operators cut off from heavyweights Boeing Co. and Airbus SE and reliant on patched-up vehicles from earlier eras.