Echoes in Tragedy: Linking Iran President’s and CDF Ogolla’s Choppers
Reports emerging from Iran on Sunday indicated that a helicopter carrying President Ebrahim Raisi had crashed, with several passengers on board, including Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.
Confirmation came early Monday via Iranian news outlets, including state-run media, that both the President and his Foreign Minister had perished in the crash.
International media relayed that the incident involved a ‘hard-landing’ of the helicopter, which was part of a convoy of three. Two helicopters successfully reached their destinations amidst heavy fog in a mountainous region.
According to a Reuters report, Raisi and his team were traveling in a Bell 212 helicopter, manufactured by BellFlight. This company also produced the Bell Huey II, which was involved in the fatal crash of former Chief of the Defence Forces, Ogolla.
The Bell 212, Raisi’s helicopter, is a civilian version of the military UH-1N Twin Huey, which originated from the Vietnam War era.
Manufactured in the 1960s, the Bell 212 was an upgrade to the original UH-1 Iroquois, the same model used by Ogolla.
Differing from its predecessor, the Bell 212, originally designed for the Canadian Military, is equipped with two turboshafts instead of one engine.
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This civilian version is favored by both civilians and government officials worldwide, including those from countries like the United States and Canada, due to its adaptability to various conditions and its versatility in tasks such as transportation, aerial firefighting, and weaponry deployment.
Ogolla’s helicopter, which crashed in April, was a Huey II, initially designed between 1956 and 1987 and predominantly used by the United States Army, the Australian Army, and the Japan Ground Self Defence Forces.
Famed for its role in the Vietnam War, over 16,000 Huey II helicopters have been built since its inception.
Similar to the Bell 212, the Huey II can transport passengers and is equipped with provisions for emergencies, including mounting weapons.
New versions of the Bell Huey II incorporate commercial dynamic components, enhancing hover performance in hot conditions, making it suitable for various missions such as troop transport, medical evacuation, and VIP transport to remote areas.
The Iranian military possesses 10 Bell 212 helicopters, while Bell Huey helicopters were provided to the Kenya Air Force in 2017 as part of the United States Embassy’s security cooperation program in Africa.
Ogolla passed away on Thursday, April 18, following a helicopter crash in the Sindar area along the West Pokot-Elgeyo Marakwet border.
Echoes in Tragedy: Linking Iran President’s and CDF Ogolla’s Choppers