The bodies of Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi and other passengers have been recovered after the helicopter crashed. Their bodies are being taken to the city of Tabriz. Iranian semi-official news agency Tasnim News confirmed the information about the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS).

IRCS chief Pir-Hossein Koulivand said on Monday (May 20) morning that the search operation by the President's helicopter continued overnight despite fog and rain. Rescue teams were dispatched to the crash site after an Iranian drone located the wreckage of the helicopter.

He said that the bodies of all the passengers in the helicopter have been removed to the ambulance and they are being taken to Tabriz.

Earlier on Sunday, President Raisi inaugurated two dams near the border of Azerbaijan. After that, he was going to the city of Tabriz in the northwest of Iran by riding a helicopter. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdullahian and several officials. The helicopter carrying them met with an accident 50 km away from Tabriz.

The President's fleet had a total of three helicopters. The other two helicopters landed safely, but the one carrying Ibrahim Raisi crashed. Iran's Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian and Housing and Transport Minister Mehrdad Bajarpash were in the helicopter that returned safely.

On Monday morning, search teams found the wreckage of the helicopter carrying the Iranian president in a mountainous and snow-covered area of ​​East Azerbaijan province. The country's state television reported that there was no sign of life. The entire helicopter was destroyed.