A military helicopter crashed into a fruit and vegetable market, resulting in the deaths of four individuals. The incident occurred in Iran, claiming the lives of the pilot, co-pilot, and two street vendors on the ground. Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene following the helicopter’s descent in the Dorcheh area of Isfahan province on Tuesday.

Social media images depicted a scene of destruction, with charred wreckage and debris scattered throughout the marketplace, accompanied by billows of smoke rising into the air. The helicopter was engaged in a training exercise when the crash occurred, as per the report from the Mehr News Agency. The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Notably, the Isfahan region houses a uranium-enrichment complex that was targeted in a series of airstrikes by the United States in June. The Army Aviation Training Centre identified the deceased military personnel as Colonel Hamed Sarvazad, the pilot, and Major Mojtaba Kiani, the co-pilot.

This tragic event follows closely on the heels of another aviation mishap involving a US-built F-4 fighter from Iran’s Air Force, which crashed in Hamadan province during a training mission, resulting in the pilot’s death. Additionally, a helicopter carrying Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and the foreign minister crashed while returning from East Azerbaijan on May 19, 2024.

Iran’s armed forces operate an aging fleet of aircraft, predominantly from the 20th century, due to limitations on procuring parts caused by Western sanctions.