According to an initial investigation conducted by a Turkish rescue group that discovered the wreckage, the helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, which crashed, either did not have an active transponder or it was turned off.

Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu informed reporters that upon receiving news of the crash, Turkish authorities attempted to locate a signal from the helicopter’s transponder, which broadcasts information about its altitude and location. However, it is believed that the transponder system was either deactivated or absent on the helicopter.

It has also been revealed that Iranian officials had urged the government to acquire two Russian helicopters for its leaders due to concerns regarding the maintenance of its aging helicopter fleet.

Former Foreign Affairs Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif attributed the difficulty in obtaining spare parts for the fleet to US sanctions and condemned the crash as another act of aggression against the Iranian people by the United States.

The crashed helicopter was identified as a Bell 212, a two-blade aircraft with a capacity of carrying 15 individuals. An investigative team has already arrived at the crash site in East Azerbaijan province and will examine whether proper weather checks were conducted before the decision to fly was made.

Before Raisi, other leaders killed in aviation dramas

Condolences pour in from around the world on Iranian president’s death

Iran responsible for flying 45-year-old helicopter, says US after Raisi’s death

The other two helicopters in the group completed the journey safely, and no significant allegations of sabotage have been made thus far.

The helicopter crashed on Sunday morning in a remote, mountainous area of northern Iran, where thick fog posed challenges to the rescue operation. Even if the Red Crescent crews had reached the victims more quickly, it is unlikely that any lives could have been saved.

The charred remains of the victims were only discovered by a Turkish government surveillance drone after the fog cleared and daylight broke on Monday morning. State media reported that the aircraft had crashed into the mountain and disintegrated upon impact, leaving no survivors.