No bullet traces were found on the hull of the helicopter that crashed and killed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, according to an official statement from the Iranian General Staff.

Tehran, [24 May] — No evidence of bullets was found on the hull of the helicopter that tragically claimed the life of late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, according to an official statement from the Iranian General Staff's public relations center. The statement, aired by IRIB television, confirmed that no traces of bullets or similar objects were detected on the aircraft's remains.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran disclosed these preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation into the fatal incident. "It can be said with certainty that bullets were not involved," the statement emphasized.

In addition to ruling out bullet involvement, the investigation revealed that the helicopter caught fire only after it crashed into a mountain. "The helicopter caught fire only after hitting an elevation," the IRIB channel quoted the official report.

Further details emerged about the immediate aftermath of the crash. Despite the severity of the situation, the pilot managed to establish contact with the pilots of two additional helicopters that were transporting other members of the presidential delegation.

The challenging search and rescue operation was hampered by fog, cold weather, and rough terrain, continuing through the night. The crash site was ultimately located by an Iranian drone at 5:00 a.m. local time (1:30 a.m. GMT) on Monday.

The Iranian General Staff continues to investigate the incident, ensuring transparency and thoroughness in uncovering the full details surrounding this tragic event.