In a devastating incident, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, along with other officials, lost their lives in a helicopter crash. The tragic news was reported by the country`s state news agency on Sunday.
This incident adds to the list of global leaders who have perished in air crashes, often leading to significant political uncertainty in their countries. Here is a look at 10 world leaders who have died in helicopter crashes:
1. Ibrahim Nasir: The second President of the Maldives, Ibrahim Nasir, died in a helicopter crash in 2008. The accident occurred during a personal trip to an uninhabited island in the Maldives.
2. Hafez al-Assad: The President of Syria, Hafez al-Assad, was killed in a plane crash near Damascus in 2000. There are various theories about the cause, including a heart attack leading to an emergency landing or a possible conspiracy.
3. General Zia-ul-Haq: Pakistan`s sixth President, General Zia-ul-Haq, died in a plane crash near Bahawalpur in 1988. The crash`s cause remains debated, with theories ranging from mechanical failure to sabotage.
4.Lech Kaczynski: In 2010, Poland`s President Lech Kaczynski died in a helicopter crash. The crash also claimed the lives of several top Polish officials.
5. Ramon Magsaysay: The seventh President of the Philippines, Ramon Magsaysay, died in a plane crash in 1957 in the mountainous area of Mount Manunggal near Cebu. He was known for his strong anti-communist policies and commitment to democracy.
6. Juvenal Habyarimana and Cyprien Ntaryamira: In 1994, the Presidents of Rwanda and Burundi, Juvenal Habyarimana and Cyprien Ntaryamira, were killed in a plane crash. This incident is often cited as the trigger for the Rwandan genocide.
7. Samora Machel: The first President of Mozambique, Samora Machel, died in a plane crash near the Mozambique-South Africa border in 1986. There were allegations of South African involvement in the crash. Machel was a socialist leader inspired by Marxist-Leninist ideals.
8. Dag Hammarskjöld: The UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld died in a plane crash on September 18, 1961. The Swedish diplomat was traveling to Africa for Congo peace talks when the crash occurred, killing him and 16 others. Investigations suggested the plane was flying at a dangerously low altitude.
9. Sanjay Gandhi: A prominent Indian political figure and son of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi died in a plane crash on June 23, 1980, shortly after taking off from Delhi’s Safdarjung Airport.
10. Bipin Rawat: On December 8, 2021, Indian Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat died in a military helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu. He was en route to the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington when the helicopter went down in a hilly area.
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