TEHRAN, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Iran has ruled out sabotage or electronic warfare as the cause of the helicopter crash that resulted in the deaths of President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage, the General Staff of Iran's Armed Forces announced on Wednesday.
In its second report, the senior investigation committee detailed the findings of its probe into the May 19 crash in East Azarbaijan province, according to the official news agency IRNA.
The investigation concluded that based on tests of the wreckage and the distribution of debris, an explosion caused by sabotage during flight or just before the helicopter crashed into the mountain was unlikely.
The report also dismissed the possibility of electronic warfare, citing an absence of evidence. Weather conditions on May 19 were deemed favorable for Visual Flight Rules during flights from Tabriz to destinations near the Azerbaijan border, though further investigation into conditions on the return flight is ongoing.
No defects related to the helicopter's overhaul and maintenance were found to have contributed to the crash. The helicopter's weight, including passengers and equipment, was within limits at takeoff and during the flight. Recorded communications between the pilots indicated the last contact with the crashed helicopter occurred 69 seconds before the incident, with no emergency declared.
The first report from the investigation committee was released on May 23. Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem, representative of the Supreme Leader to East Azarbaijan, were also on board.
President Raisi was buried on May 23 at the holy shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad. ■
