Deaths of Political Leaders Like Raisi in Air Accidents Exposes Outdated Aviation Industries

Paromita Das 

GG News Bureau

New Delhi, 23rd May. Global shockwaves accompanied the terrible deaths of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on a gloomy Sunday evening in a helicopter crash close to the border with Azerbaijan. The globe and the country both mourned the loss of these great leaders as the fallout from this tragic event shook the political landscape.

The burnt remains of the helicopter were found on Monday, in spite of the heroic efforts of the rescue operations, which were hampered by the unfavorable weather of intense rain and fog. The difficult weather that made it difficult to reach the crash scene highlighted how serious the tragedy was and how difficult it was for the rescue crews to deal with.

International leaders expressed their condolences, highlighting the depth of President Raisi’s and Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian’s untimely deaths. Among those expressing solidarity with Iran and promising steadfast support during this time of sadness was Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Unfortunately, in the chronicles of political history, this helicopter crash is hardly a unique incident. Numerous prominent politicians have suffered similar terrible ends in plane crashes over the years, raising awareness of the inherent dangers that prominent people face when traveling by air.

Sanjay Gandhi
On June 23, 1980, Sanjay Gandhi, the son of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, passed very suddenly while operating an airplane at Delhi’s Safdarjung Airport. A promising young politician was lost in the crash, and the country was left in despair.

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
Similarly, Pakistani President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq perished in an enigmatic plane crash on August 17, 1988. There is still much that is unknown about the crash’s circumstances, including the fact that he lost touch with his aircraft just before landing in Islamabad.

Sebastian Pinera
Another terrible event occurred on February 6, 2024, when Sebastian Pinera, the former President of Chile, was killed in a helicopter crash and plunged into a lake in the country’s south. The passing of their beloved leader left the country in shock and mourning.

Arvid Lindman
The death of Sweden’s former Prime Minister, Arvid Lindman, is a sobering reminder of the risks associated with unfavorable weather when flying. In dense fog, Lindman’s aircraft struck houses close to Croydon Airport in England, taking his life at the age of 74.

Abdul Salam Arif
Abdul Salam Arif, the second President of Iraq, was tragically killed in 1966 when an Iraqi Air Force plane broke down and crashed close to Basra. He was 45 years old at the time. His unexpected passing rocked the country and brought attention to the dangers political leaders face when flying.

Rashid Karami
In a similar vein, Lebanon’s Prime Minister, Rashid Karami, 65, died tragically in 1987 when a bomb went off on his Aérospatiale Puma helicopter when it was traveling to Beirut. Karami was killed in the assassination attempt, and more than thirty others were hurt, indicating a turbulent time for Lebanon.

Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy
On September 3, 2009, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash while his route to a village in the district of Chittoor. His unexpected passing brought an end to a chapter in Andhra Pradesh politics and threw the state into mourning.

Cause of Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter crash

Although the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was most likely caused by exceptionally bad weather, the old age of the aircraft cannot be easily disregarded.

The governor-general of Iran’s East Azerbaijan Province and the head of Friday prayers in Tabriz, the provincial seat of East Azerbaijan, were also killed in the crash of the American-made Bell 212. The president was on his way back from a visit to launch a new dam with the president of neighboring Azerbaijan. It’s unclear why the helicopter was allowed to fly in a mountainous area with severely limited visibility and cloudy weather.

What is certain is that the Bell 212, although clearly a sturdy and venerable helicopter that transported the President and these officials, was probably between 40 and 50 years old when it was purchased by Iran during the previous shah, just before the 1979 revolution, during a time of cordial relations between Washington and Tehran.

Raisi’s untimely and unexpected death serves as a stark reminder of how unpopular politics and unbelievable incompetence have all but destroyed Iran’s military and utility aircraft fleet, which was once among the best in the world. Raisi was flying in extremely bad weather without a transponder.

Also, many such tragedies around the world, highlights the precariousness of human existence and the inherent dangers of air travel, especially for public officials who frequently travel great distances to represent their constituents. The safety of air travel can still be seriously threatened by unanticipated events and environmental conditions, even with the developments in aviation technology.

Following these catastrophes, governments and aviation authorities should make safety procedures and policies a top priority in order to reduce risks and guarantee the safety of all passengers, especially elected officials tasked with overseeing the government.

It is crucial to consider the significant impact of such incidents and work toward a safer future for air travel worldwide as the world mourns the loss of President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and the other individuals who died in the helicopter crash.