Ebrahim Raisi, José Félix, Ramon Magsaysay… presidents who died in helicopter crashes

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi tragically perished in a helicopter accident amidst mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border, as confirmed by officials and state media reports. 

Despite this immense loss, the Iranian government pledged on Monday that operations would persist “without the slightest disruption.” 

Unfortunately, aviation accidents have previously claimed the lives of several presidents throughout history.

Below is the list of some presidents who lost their lives in helicopter ion crashes:

President José Félix Estigarribia, Paraguay (1940)

José Félix Estigarribia, the 34th president of Paraguay, tragically perished in an airplane accident on September 7, 1940, in Altos, Paraguay while aboard a Potez 25 aircraft.

President Ramon Magsaysay, Philippines (1957)

Ramon Magsaysay, the seventh President of the Philippines, met his untimely demise on March 17, 1957, when his plane, the “Mt. Pinatubo,” a C-47 aircraft, crashed into Mount Manunggal in Cebu. Among the 25 passengers aboard, only one survived the tragic accident.

President Abdul Salam Arif, Iraq (1966)

Abdul Salam Arif, Iraq’s second President, was instrumental in the 1958 revolution that toppled the monarchy. Tragically, on April 13, 1966, his life ended in a plane crash near Basra. After his demise, his brother Abdul Rahman Arif assumed the presidency.

President Rene Barrientos Ortuno, Bolivia (1969)

René Barrientos Ortuño, Bolivia’s 47th president, tragically perished in a helicopter accident on April 27, 1969. Though suspicions of an assassination lingered, conclusive evidence remained elusive.

President Samora Moisés Machel, Mozambique (1986)

Samora Moisés Machel, Mozambique’s inaugural President after independence in 1975, tragically perished in 1986 when his presidential plane crashed close to the Mozambican-South African border.

President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistan (1988)

General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, Pakistan’s sixth President, met his demise on August 17, 1988, when his C-130 Hercules aircraft crashed soon after departure from Bahawalpur. The reason behind the crash remains shrouded in mystery, sparking theories encompassing mechanical malfunction to possible sabotage.

President Juvénal Habyarimana, Rwanda and President Cyprien Ntaryamira, Burundi (1994)

On April 6, 1994, tragedy struck Rwanda as President Juvénal Habyarimana’s plane crashed near Kigali, claiming his life, along with that of Burundian President Cyprien Ntaryamira and several others.

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The Dassault Falcon 50 aircraft was struck by surface-to-air missiles as it approached Kigali International Airport.

President Lech Kaczyński, Poland (2010)

On April 10, 2010, Lech Kaczyński, Poland’s President, embarked on a trip to Russia to honor the victims of the Katyn massacre, which claimed the lives of 22,000 Polish military officers at the hands of the Soviet Union. 

Tragically, the journey concluded in a plane crash near Smolensk, Russia, resulting in the loss of President Kaczyński and all 96 individuals aboard. 

Subsequently, an investigation committee, spearheaded by then-Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, was established to investigate the incident.