On May 20, 2024, the helicopter crash resulted in the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. In the aftermath of this tragedy, numerous images claiming to depict the crash wreckage have been circulating on social media. However, a closer examination reveals that these images are misleading.

Social Media Claim

The images in question show a wrecked aircraft with the Iranian flag and people searching through a wooded area near the wreckage. Widely shared on social media, these images are captioned to suggest they depict the aftermath of the helicopter crash that killed President Raisi.

Source | Archive

Source | Archive

Source | Archive

Fact-Checking

We began the investigation using the Reverse Image Search feature. This led us to the original post on the X platform, posted on April 23, 2020, four years before President Raisi's accident. The image was actually from an accident involving Iran’s police training plane in Mazandaran province. You can read news about this event here.

Archive

The images show an aircraft numbered 1136, which is identified as a Cessna T206H Turbo Stationair II, previously used by Iranian police before its 2020 crash, contrary to the to the Bell 212 helicopter that was carrying President Raisi at the time of the crash. (Source)

Watch the footage of the aftermath of President Raisi's helicopter crash below.

In the aftermath of the tragic helicopter crash that resulted in the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other officials, Mohammad Mokhber has been appointed as the acting president. The crash has sent shockwaves across the Middle East, given Iran’s considerable influence in the region. The incident has also led to expectations of challenges with legitimacy for Iran’s political establishment. As the nation grapples with this loss, the world watches closely for the implications of this event on Iran’s future. (Source)

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Conclusion

Images circulating on social media purportedly showing the wreckage of the helicopter crash that killed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi are misleading. The images are from a 2020 crash involving a Cessna T206H Turbo Stationair II used by Iranian police, not the Bell 212 helicopter that was carrying President Raisi.

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Title:Widely Circulated Images of the Iranian President's Helicopter Crash are Misleading !

Fact Check By: Fact Crescendo Team

Result: Misleading