Two military pilots and two merchants are killed after an Iranian army helicopter crashes into a fruit market in Dorcheh, a town in Isfahan Province where the army operates a major airbase.
The crash happened on Tuesday morning, with state media reporting that a technical fault is the likely cause. Footage from the scene showed burning wreckage scattered across the market as emergency responders work to extinguish the fire.
In a statement, the Army Aviation Training Centre identified the dead soldiers as Colonel Hamed Sarvazad, the pilot, and his co-pilot, Major Mojtaba Kiani. Two merchants working at their booths are also killed instantly when the helicopter slams into the marketplace and catches fire.
Military authorities say the cause of the crash remains under investigation. Local judiciary chief Asadollah Jafari confirmed he has opened a case and dispatched investigators to examine the incident.
The crash comes less than a week after an ageing McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II fighter jet goes down during a late-night training mission in Hamadan Province. State media reported that one pilot died while the other survives after ejecting. That incident was also attributed to a suspected technical fault.
Iran has struggled to modernise its ageing military and civilian aircraft fleets due to decades of sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies. Tehran has purchased several fighter and training aircraft from Russia and has sought advanced Su-35 jets, though delivery from Moscow has yet to take place.
The helicopter crash occurs amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States ahead of a new round of nuclear talks scheduled in Geneva. Iranian officials say Tehran will not “bow down” to US pressure, as Washington increases its military presence in the region, including deploying advanced fighter aircraft and two carrier strike groups while warning of possible strikes if no agreement is reached over Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes.
Follow us on:
