Iranian 'Cobra' Attack Helicopter Crashes into Crowded Fruit Market, Killing 4 | WATCH
A Bell 209 Cobra attack helicopter crashed into a fruit market in Isfahan today, killing the pilot, co-pilot, and two civilians. Attributed to a technical failure, the disaster highlights Iran's struggling aging fleet amid rising regional tensions.
A military helicopter belonging to the Iranian Army’s Aviation unit crashed Tuesday morning into a wholesale fruit and vegetable market in the city of Darcheh, located in the Khomeyni Shahr County of Isfahan Province.
According to Iranian state media and the semiofficial Tasnim News Agency, the aircraft involved was a Bell 209 (AH-1J SeaCobra) attack helicopter. The crash resulted in the deaths of at least four people and left several others injured.
The helicopter went down during a routine training mission, striking the compound of the local market and triggering a massive fire. Authorities have confirmed that both military officers were killed instantly upon impact.
Two vendors working at their stalls in the market were killed as the aircraft plowed into the crowded commercial area. At least one additional person was reported injured and transported to a nearby medical facility.
Emergency services and firefighters from the Isfahan Red Crescent Society rushed to the scene to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading through the densely packed market stalls.
The official IRNA news agency has attributed the crash to a "technical malfunction." This incident marks the second major Iranian aviation disaster in less than a week, following the crash of an F-4 fighter jet in Hamadan province last Thursday.
Military analysts point to several factors contributing to Iran's poor air safety record:
Most of Iran's attack helicopters and fighter jets were purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Decades of international sanctions have made it nearly impossible for Iran to acquire genuine spare parts for its U.S.-built aircraft.
The crash occurred while the Iranian military is on high alert due to escalating tensions and recent threats of U.S. strikes against Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure.
The province of Isfahan is a critical military hub for Iran, housing a major air base and sensitive nuclear facilities. While state media emphasizes that the crash was a training accident, the loss of a frontline attack helicopter further depletes Iran's aging conventional defense capabilities at a time of peak regional volatility.