Medical helicopter crash in southwest Iran kills five

TEHRAN: An emergency medical helicopter crashed in a southwestern Iranian village on Monday en route to treat a pregnant mother, killing all five people on board, state TV reported.

“Following the request to save the life of a 26-year old pregnant mother who needed emergency care … a helicopter was dispatched which unfortunately had an accident,” said Pir Hossein Koolivand, who heads Iran’s emergency services.

“Three crew members and two first aid workers were martyred”, he added.

The crew was dispatched to a mountainous village 30 kilometres from Shahr-e Kord city in Chaharmahal - Bakhtiari province, emergency services spokesperson Mojtaba Khaledi told a news agency.

State news agency said the helicopter collided with a transmission tower, while state TV said it had crashed into the mountains.

The Zagros mountain range which passes through Chaharmahal - Bakhtiari has been the site of several crashes in recent years.