TEHRAN – An emergency medical helicopter crashed in a southwestern Iranianvillage on Monday en route to treat a pregnant mother, killing all fivepeople on board, state TV reported.
“Following the request to save the life of a 26-year old pregnant motherwho needed emergency care … a helicopter was dispatched whichunfortunately had an accident,” said Pir Hossein Koolivand, who headsIran’s emergency services.
“Three crew members and two first aid workers were martyred”, he added.
Koolivand did not elaborate on the cause of the crash.
The crew was dispatched to a mountainous village 30 kilometres (19 miles)from Shahr-e Kord city in Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari province, emergencyservices spokesman Mojtaba Khaledi told semi-official news agency ILNA.
State news agency IRNA said the helicopter collided with a transmissiontower, while state TV said it had crashed into the mountains.
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The Zagros mountain range which passes through Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari hasbeen the site of several crashes in recent years.
A private plane crashed in the area early last year killing all elevenpassengers, including the daughter of a prominent Turkish businessman andher friends who were returning home from a hen party.
In February 2018 a passenger plane operated by Iran’s Aseman Airlinescrashed in the Zagros range, killing all 66 people on board. -APP/AFP
