Two military pilots and two traders die in Dorcheh crash near Isfahan airbase; technical fault suspected
A helicopter belonging to the Iranian army’s Air Force crashed on February 24, into a fruit market in the central province of Isfahan. Credit: AFP PHOTO / HO / IRANIAN RED CRESCENT
Two military pilots and two market vendors were killed on Tuesday morning when an army helicopter crashed into a fruit market in central Iran, according to state media reports cited by Al Jazeera and Anadolu.
The crash occurred in Dorcheh, a town in Isfahan province that hosts a major army airbase. State media said the incident was likely caused by a technical fault, though investigations are ongoing.
Footage aired by state television showed the wreckage at the scene and emergency responders extinguishing flames.
Read More: What does Trump want in Iran?
In a statement, the Army Aviation Training Centre identified the deceased pilots as Colonel Hamed Sarvazad and his co-pilot, Major Mojtaba Kiani. Two merchants working at their stalls in the market were also killed after the helicopter crashed and caught fire.
The army said the cause of the crash remains under investigation. Local judiciary chief Asadollah Jafari confirmed that a case has been opened and investigators have been dispatched.
The incident comes less than a week after an Iranian Air Force fighter jet — reportedly an ageing US-built F-4 — crashed during a late-night training mission in Hamadan province. State media said one pilot was killed while the other survived after ejecting. That crash was also attributed to a likely technical fault, pending investigation.
Iran has struggled to modernise its ageing military and civilian aircraft fleets due to decades of sanctions imposed by the US and its allies.
Read More: Trump questions why Iran is not ‘capitulating’
Tuesday’s crash occurred amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington ahead of a new round of nuclear talks scheduled to take place in Geneva on Thursday.
Iranian officials have said the country will not “bow down” to US pressure, as Washington increases its military presence in the region. In recent weeks, the US has deployed advanced fighter jets to regional bases and positioned two aircraft carrier strike groups nearby, warning it could take military action if no agreement is reached over Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes.
Tehran has ruled out negotiations over its missile programme but has indicated it may be open to an agreement guaranteeing that it will not pursue nuclear weapons.
