A military helicopter belonging to Iran’s army crashed into a fruit and vegetable market in the central province of Isfahan on Tuesday, killing four people, according to state media and international news agencies.
The army aircraft was on a training flight when it went down in the town of Dorcheh, located around 330 km (205 miles) south of the Iranian capital, Tehran.
Emergency responders rushed to the scene after the helicopter struck a busy market, where wreckage and smoke were visible, local reports said.
Iran’s state‑run IRNA news agency reported that both the pilot and co‑pilot were killed in the crash, along with two civilians working in the market.
The incident caused a fire that was later extinguished by emergency teams.
Officials have not publicly confirmed the cause of the helicopter crash. State media cited preliminary reports suggesting a technical malfunction, but an official investigation is expected to follow.
The accident comes amid concerns about the safety of Iran’s ageing military aircraft fleet, which has been affected by long‑standing Western sanctions that make it difficult to obtain original spare parts.
Experts say this has contributed to a series of aviation accidents in recent years.
This is the second reported military aviation accident in Iran in less than a week. Last week, a U.S.‑built F‑4 fighter jet crashed during a training flight near Hamedan province, killing one pilot.
