Iranian military helicopter crashes into fruit market, 4 dead: state media

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Undated image shows a helicopter. — AFP/File
Undated image shows a helicopter. — AFP/File

An Iranian Army helicopter crashed into a fruit market in the central province of Isfahan on Tuesday, killing the pilot, co-pilot and two merchants, state media reported.

The helicopter came down in the city of Dorcheh, causing a fire that was put out by emergency services, the reports added.

Experts say Iran has a poor air safety record, with repeated crashes, many involving aircraft bought before the 1979 Islamic Revolution and lacking original spare parts for maintenance.

Last week, a US-built F-4 fighter belonging to Iran’s regular air force crashed in the western province of Hamadan, killing one pilot during a training flight.

In May 2024, a helicopter carrying Iran’s then-President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials was involved in a “crash upon landing” in the mountainous Varzaqan region of Iran amid poor weather conditions.

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